Four alleged fraudsters are being tried in France, accused of conducting fake police checks on people’s permits to leave home during the lockdown.
The woman and three men allegedly posed as officers and robbed victims after asking them to produce the official form people must carry away from home.
It is believed they stole €25,000 (£22,000; $27,000).
The four, who are all Iranian nationals, are being tried as France prepares to ease its lockdown curbs.
ince 17 March, people across the country have only been allowed to leave their homes to go to work, shop, exercise, seek care or conduct urgent family business.
While out, they are required to carry a certificate stating the reason for their trip.
Police say the gang impersonated officers and approached people wearing face masks. After asking to see their victims’ forms, they allegedly searched bags and took whatever cash or valuables they could find.
In an interview with France Info radio, Police Commissioner Nathan Bauer said the suspects “did not speak very good French” and targeted foreigners.
He added that police had identified seven victims, and that €12,000 had been stolen from one of them.
The four are to be tried in the city of Meaux, east of Paris.
The coronavirus outbreak has been linked to about 25,000 deaths in France. But with falling numbers of new fatalities and cases, the government has announced plans to lift some restrictions from 11 May.
As Italy begins to ease its lockdown measures, residents in some of Naples’ poorest neighbourhoods share their stories of how the global pandemic has left scars on their city.
Takeaways and parks are reopening, small funerals can resume and some businesses are restarting.
But the shutdown has left deep wounds in a country with already serious economic problems.
Mark Lowen has been speaking to people whose lives have been changed.
Rwanda has loosened restrictions after 45 days of coronavirus lockdown, even though a nationwide night-time curfew will be enforced and movement in and out of the capital, Kigali, is prohibited.
On Monday, roads in Kigali were busy again, in a city considered to be a hotspot for infections. People are adhering to mandatory mask wearing and social distancing.
Many are happy that normal life has resumed but there is discontent that fares in public transport have been hiked after buses were ordered to carry half of their capacity to ensure social distancing.
Stir-crazy Italians will be free to stroll and visit relatives for the first time in nine weeks on Monday as Europe’s hardest-hit country eases back the world’s longest nationwide coronavirus lockdown.
Four million people — an estimated 72 percent of them men — will return to their construction sites and factories as the economically and emotionally shattered country tries to get back to work.
Restaurants that have managed to survive Italy’s most disastrous crisis in generations will reopen for takeaway service.
But bars and even ice cream parlours will remain shut. The use of public transport will be discouraged and everyone will have to wear masks in indoor public spaces.
“We are feeling a mix of joy and fear,” 40-year-old Stefano Milano said in Rome.
“There will be great happiness in being able to go running again carefree, in my son being allowed to have his little cousin over to blow out his birthday candles, to see our parents,” the father-of-three said.
“But we are also apprehensive because they are old and my father-in-law has cancer so is high risk”.
‘Moment of responsibility’
Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus emerged in December, led the world with an unprecedented lockdown on January 23 that lasted 76 days.
Weeks later Italy followed suit, becoming the first Western democracy to shut down virtually everything in the face of an illness that has now officially killed 28,884 — the most in Europe — and some fear thousands more.
The lives of Italians began closing in around them as it became increasingly apparent that the first batch of infections in provinces around Milan were spiralling out of control.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte began by putting a quarter of the population in the northern industrial heartland on lockdown on March 8.
The sudden measure frightened many — fearful of being locked in together with the gathering threat — into fleeing to less affected regions further south.
The danger of the virus spreading with them and incapacitating the south’s less developed health care system forced Conte to announce a nationwide lockdown on March 9.
“Today is our moment of responsibility,” Conte told the nation. “We cannot let our guard down.”
The official death toll was then 724.
More waves of restrictions followed as hundreds began dying each day.
Almost everything except for pharmacies and grocery stores was shuttered across the Mediterranean country of 60 million on March 12.
Conte’s final roll of the dice involved closing all non-essential factories on March 22.
Italy’s highest single toll — 969 — was reported five days later.
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‘Worried about reopening’
The economic toll of all those shutdowns has been historic.
Italy’s economy — the eurozone’s third-largest last year — is expected to shrink more than in any year since the global depression of the 1930s.
Half of the workforce is receiving state support and the same number told a top pollster that they were afraid of becoming unemployed.
And some of those who are out of a job already say they do not entirely trust in Conte’s ability to safely navigate the nation out of peril.
Conte’s popularity has jumped along with that of most of other world leaders grappling with the pandemic thanks to a rally around the flag effect.
But a Demos poll conducted at the end of April found some of Conte’s lustre fading.
Confidence in his government has slipped by eight percentage points to a still-strong 63 percent since March.
Psychological toll
Italy’s staggered reopening is complicated by a highly decentralised system that allows the country’s 20 regions to layer on their own rules.
Venice’s Veneto and the southern Calabria regions have thus been serving food and drink at bars and restaurants with outdoor seating since last week.
The area around Genoa is thinking of allowing small groups of people to go sailing and reopening its beaches.
Neighbouring Emilia-Romagna is keeping them closed — even to those who live by the sea.
All this uncertainty appears to be weighing on the nation’s psyche.
A poll by the Piepoli Institute showed 62 percent of Italians think they will need psychological support with coming to grips with the post-lockdown world.
“The night of the virus continues,” sociologist Ilvo Diamanti wrote in La Repubblica daily.
“And you can hardly see the light on the horizon. If anything, we’re getting used to moving in the dark.”
Rwanda’s government has announced plans to partially ease strict measures imposed six weeks ago to stop the spread of coronavirus.
A highly awaited government announcement said the restrictions will be lifted from 4 May even though some measures will be maintained.
A curfew will be enforced from 20:00 local time (18:00GMT) to 05:00.
All schools will remain closed until September and border crossings will remain closed except for cargo and returning Rwandan citizens and legal residents.
Markets will reopen at half capacity, while hotels and restaurants will close by 19:00 local time. Sports facilities, gyms, bars, places of worship will remain closed, but individual sporting activities are allowed in open spaces.
Commuters will have to adhere to social distancing in public transport, but travel across provinces is not permitted.
Rwanda has so far confirmed 243 coronavirus cases, 84 of which were reported in the last seven days.
The ministry of health says the spike in cases is due to cargo truck drivers who were allowed in from Kenya and Tanzania.
Rwanda was the first sub-Sahara African country to enforce total lockdown measures in efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus.
France is encouraging people to cycle to keep pollution levels low once lockdown restrictions end.
Under the €20 million (£17m; $21.7m) scheme, everyone will be eligible for bike repairs of up to €50 at registered mechanics.
The funding will also help pay for cycle training and temporary parking spaces.
Nations worldwide are grappling with ways to change urban transport in light of the coronavirus.
Emergency planners in London fear the Tube will not be able to cope once lockdown is lifted. A report seen by the BBC says that social distancing rules would reduce capacity to 15% of normal levels, and 12% on buses.
Moreover, pollution levels have dropped worldwide, and many are seeking to keep those levels low.
On Thursday the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast a 6% drop in energy demand for the year – it said this would lead to a drop in carbon dioxide emissions of 8%, six times larger than the biggest fall in 2009 which followed the financial crash.
What are the proposals?
Elisabeth Borne, Minister for Ecological Transition, said the move was aimed at reducing driving when commuting or for short journeys to keep air pollution levels down once restrictions are lifted.
In normal times, 60% of journeys made in France are less than 5 kilometres [3 miles] – making bicycles “a real transport solution”, she said.
France has announced plans to slowly wind down its restrictions from 11 May. Latest figures on Wednesday showed a recorded death toll of 24,087, with close to 130,000 confirmed cases.
Ms Borne announced the scheme in association with the Federation of Bicycle Users (FUB) on Wednesday.
They will register a network of more than 3,000 repairmen on the FUB website who will agree to fix any bike for up to €50, such as changing tyres or old chains.
Citizens will not receive a printed cheque, but will go to these registered mechanics who will then be reimbursed by the state. People will have to pay any additional costs out of their own pockets.
The rest of the funding will go towards temporary bike racks and cycling training and refresher courses. Local governments are also being encouraged to lay down bike lanes across the country.
What are European cities doing?
The French capital Paris is barring private cars from one of its major central roads, the Rue de Rivoli, which will instead have separate lanes for bicycles and for buses, taxis, emergency vehicles and certain deliveries.
The measures will remain in place for the duration of the pandemic but should they prove successful they will be made permanent, Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Thursday.
Paris is also aiming to create cycle routes along the paths of its three busiest Metro lines, she said.
The aim was to prevent the city being “swamped by cars, synonymous with pollution”, she was quoted by Le Monde newspaper as saying.
The Belgian capital Brussels on Wednesday announced the creation of 40km of additional cycle paths to ensure fewer people use public transport as restrictions are relaxed.
And the Italian city of Milan, which is in the worst-affected region of Lombardy, has begun reallocating space on some of its major roads for walking and cycling.
It is widening pavements, adding 35km of cycle lanes and encouraging the use of scooters as a way of pushing alternatives to car use. The Milan subway’s capacity is to be reduced by up to 30% to ensure all passengers are able to stay a metre away from each other.
And in the German capital Berlin, the authorities have temporarily widened some cycle lanes.
Nearly 9,000 people have received fines for flouting lockdown restrictions in England and Wales, new figures show.
Police have had powers to issue fixed penalty notices (rather than on-the-spot fines) for alleged breaches since 26 March.
Figures released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) show that in the month to 27 April, police issued 8,877 fixed-penalty notices in England, and a further 299 in Wales.
Nearly 400 were for repeat offenders – with one individual given six.
Police can issue an initial £60 fixed penalty, which is lowered to £30 if paid within two weeks, before issuing £120 fixed penalties for second-time offenders – a fee which is doubled on each further repeat offence.
Guidelines have been issued to police over imposing lockdown, including a list of ‘reasonable excuses’ for people to leave their homes.
Belgium has promised every resident a protective mask from next week, when the country begins to phase out coronavirus lockdown measures.
With just days to go many doubt the authorities will hit their target, but town mayors like Yves Kinnard are taking matters into their own hands.
From Monday, when Belgium begins to ease its lockdown, anyone taking public transport will need to cover their mouth and nose.
Commercial supplies of face masks have been unpredictable and time is running out, so Kinnard plans to supply the 3,500 members of his community himself.
The 55-year-old mayor in the small eastern town of Lincent has assigned 15,000 euros ($16,300) from the municipal budget to order masks.
Belgian firm YTS received the order for 3,500 masks on April 10 and now they have arrived, shortly before some workers and businesses will go back to work.
First, though, the masks must be distributed door-to-door before the May 1 long weekend.
Kinnard has secured the assistance of fellow elected officials and he used his official car to ferry the order 65 kilometres (40 miles) from the plant in Nivelles.
More that 7,500 Belgians have died in the outbreak, one of the world’s highest per capita fatality rates in a population of 11.5 million.
Local producers
And there has been media skepticism about the capacity of Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes’ government to deliver on its “promise without a strategy”, as one outlet put it.
On April 24, she outlined a cautious plan to end the lockdown while enforcing some continued social distancing rules to head off a second wave of cases.
She promised that “each citizen would have at least a cloth mask” the simple barrier defences often being sewn together by volunteers and off-duty tailors.
She put no deadline on the vow, and sceptics noted that Belgium has already fallen foul of shortages in medical masks and been let down by some foreign suppliers.
This in turn has led to a number of initiatives by firms, individuals and local governments to fill the gaps, such that from YTS in Nivelles.
The firm usually prints on textiles for restaurants and hotels, and had polyester to hand to relaunch as a mask-maker.
“We called the team, and increased from seven to 15 employees,” said Alexandre De Clerq, the manager. “We rethought the entire logistics chain.”
YTS has now established the ability to produce 2,000 masks per day and has partnered with other workshops to share technique and make six times more.Belgium has promised every resident a protective mask from next week, when the country begins to phase out coronavirus lockdown measures.
With just days to go many doubt the authorities will hit their target, but town mayors like Yves Kinnard are taking matters into their own hands.
From Monday, when Belgium begins to ease its lockdown, anyone taking public transport will need to cover their mouth and nose.
Commercial supplies of face masks have been unpredictable and time is running out, so Kinnard plans to supply the 3,500 members of his community himself.
The 55-year-old mayor in the small eastern town of Lincent has assigned 15,000 euros ($16,300) from the municipal budget to order masks.
Belgian firm YTS received the order for 3,500 masks on April 10 and now they have arrived, shortly before some workers and businesses will go back to work.
First, though, the masks must be distributed door-to-door before the May 1 long weekend.
Kinnard has secured the assistance of fellow elected officials and he used his official car to ferry the order 65 kilometres (40 miles) from the plant in Nivelles.
More that 7,500 Belgians have died in the outbreak, one of the world’s highest per capita fatality rates in a population of 11.5 million.
Local producers
And there has been media skepticism about the capacity of Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes’ government to deliver on its “promise without a strategy”, as one outlet put it.
On April 24, she outlined a cautious plan to end the lockdown while enforcing some continued social distancing rules to head off a second wave of cases.
She promised that “each citizen would have at least a cloth mask” the simple barrier defences often being sewn together by volunteers and off-duty tailors.
She put no deadline on the vow, and sceptics noted that Belgium has already fallen foul of shortages in medical masks and been let down by some foreign suppliers.
This in turn has led to a number of initiatives by firms, individuals and local governments to fill the gaps, such that from YTS in Nivelles.
The firm usually prints on textiles for restaurants and hotels, and had polyester to hand to relaunch as a mask-maker.
“We called the team, and increased from seven to 15 employees,” said Alexandre De Clerq, the manager. “We rethought the entire logistics chain.”
YTS has now established the ability to produce 2,000 masks per day and has partnered with other workshops to share technique and make six times more.#
Professor Kojo Ansah Koram, a former Director General at the Noguchi Memorial Research Institute has stated that the spread of COVID-19 to other parts of the country was due to some gaps in our lockdown procedures.
The renowned epidemiologist posited that the two days that was given to people in the lockdown areas led to mass fleeing to other regions.
According to him, most of the people that left the lockdown cities of Accra and Kumasi had the virus which they have spread to other regions.
Speaking at a World Health Organisation (WHO) media briefing in Accra, Prof. Koram said: For the cases around the country, it’s obvious that it’s from their contacts with those from Accra and Kumasi.”
“Because at the beginning when the decision was taken to lockdown Accra and Kumasi some grace period was given and within that grace period, a few people left Accra and it happens that those who left where carrying the virus and their samples have been brought in which confirmed it”, he said.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s COVID-19 cases have increased to 2,074.
The number of recovered persons has also gone up from 188 to 212. This was disclosed by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
Allotey Jacobs, former Central Regional Chairman of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has backed President Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to lift restrictions on movements in the country.
President Akufo-Addo enforced a partial lockdown on Ghanaians following the outbreak of Coronavirus and also introduced restrictions on public gatherings resulting in the closure of schools and all religious gatherings.
The President’s lockdown directives were in line with his goals to ensure the Coronavirus pandemic is well managed and to safeguard Ghanaians.
The President found it prudent to lift the lockdown which lasted for three weeks to give the citizenry freedom of movement and also provide relief to traders in the country but his decision was met with agitations from some Ghanaians and particularly the leadership and members of the opposition National Democratic Congress.
According to the National Democratic Congress, the lifting of restrictions on movement was premature looking at the rise in the case count of COVID-19 in the country.
Addressing the issue on Peace FM’s flagship programme ‘Kokrokoo’, Allotey Jacobs believes the President took the right decision by lifting the lockdown.
In his candid opinion, “if the President had not lifted the ban, Ghana’s economy would grind to a halt. I believe so too, very seriously”.
Ghana has since recorded 1,671 COVID-19 cases from over 100,000 samples tested and 188 recoveries with 16 deaths.
Though the numbers seem overwhelming, the positivity rate of the virus infection is below 2 percent and this is seen as one of the lowest worldwide.
The US economy suffered its most severe contraction in more than a decade in the first quarter of the year, as the country introduced lockdowns to slow the spread of coronavirus.
The world’s largest economy sank at an annual rate of 4.8%, according to official figures released on Wednesday.
It marked the first contraction since 2014, ending a record expansion.
But the figures do not reflect the full crisis, since many of the restrictions were not put in place until March.
Sine then, more than 26 million people in the US have filed for unemployment, and the US has seen historic declines in business activity and consumer confidence. Forecasters expect growth to contract 30% or more in the three months to June.
“This is off the rails, unprecedented,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “The economy has just been flattened.”
The contraction in the US economy is part of a global slowdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
In China, where restrictions were in place for much of the quarter, the economy shrank by 6.8% – its first quarterly contraction since record-keeping began in 1992.
And on Wednesday, Germany said its economy could shrink by a record 6.3% this year.
“We will experience the worst recession in the history of the federal republic” founded in 1949, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said.
Consumer hit
Before the coronavirus knocked the global economy off course, the US economy was expected to grow about 2% this year.
But by mid April, more than 95% of the country was was in some form of lockdown. Although some states have started to remove the orders, they remain in place in many others, including major economic engines such as New York and California.
Many companies have warned of significant hits related to the pandemic as they share quarterly results with investors.
On Tuesday, General Electric said its revenues had fallen 8% in the first quarter, while Boeing – already in crisis after fatal crashes of its 737 Max plane – reported a 48% revenue fall, and said it planned to reduce output and cut jobs.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting every aspect of our business, including airline customer demand, production continuity and supply chain stability,” chief executive Dave Calhoun said.
The Commerce Department said consumer spending – which accounts for about two thirds of the US economy – dropped 7.6% in the first three months of the year.
Spending on food services and accommodation plummeted more than 70%, while clothing and footwear purchases were down more than 40%.
Health spending also plunged – despite the virus – as concerns about infection prompted doctors to postpone routine treatments and other medical care.
The economic pain in the US is expected to be even more severe in the April-June period, but economists say even the estimate for the first quarter is likely to be revised lower, as the government receives more data.
“It’s very difficult to gauge the depth of the decline,” Mr Zandi said. “We won’t really know the extent of the economic damage for years.”
The US has responded to the economic crisis with more than $3tn in new spending.
The central bank has also mounted a significant intervention. Policymakers there are expected to speak about those efforts on Wednesday.
Cabinet has resolved to stop any pending evictions on tenants in both residential and commercial lodgings over unpaid rentals during the month-long Covid-19 induced lockdown period.
Speaking at a post-cabinet media briefing Tuesday, Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said there was need for parties to understand the dire situation brought by the world pandemic.
Tenants who are currently struggling to pay will however have to meet their rentals arrears in installments post COVID-19 lockdown.
“In view of the foregoing, cabinet resolved that His Excellency, the President will consider the promulgation of presidential regulations to give relief to both tenants and landlords during the lockdown period. The cabinet resolved that the residential and commercial properties be accorded a moratorium on evictions in respect of applicable lease obligations due for the period from April to the end of the lockdown including payment of rentals due for those months,” Mutsvangwa said.
She also said: “Any unpaid rentals due for the period from April up to the end of the lockdown be paid in equal installments after the declaration of the end of the lockdown period together with the rentals due to those months”.
Speaking at the same briefing, Industry and Commerce minister, Sekai Nzenza said parties should find each other.
She acknowledged this could create chaos and result in piling of court cases, hence the need for dialogue between landlords and tenants.
“We are living in very unusual situations. People are not able to pay rent. So, to address the problems, we can’t say we have the answer right there, but I would say we should come to a table and have a dialogue that is done in good faith,” she said.
However, Mutsvangwa said those who defy the directive could find themselves in trouble with the law.
“… If somebody doesn’t follow on what the government is doing in trying to help in terms of bringing in a moratorium on both tenants and landlords… the courts will certainly deal with them,” said Mutsvangwa.
The move by government comes at a time most Zimbabweans are struggling to put food on the table due to the prolonged job stay-away.
Payment of rentals has been a nightmare for many who survive on informal deals and have not generated a single penny since the introduction of the lockdown.
Algeria on Monday extended until 14 May the containment measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, after authorising the reopening of some businesses during the Ramadan period.
Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad has “renewed for an additional period of 15 days, namely from 30 April to 14 May, the current containment measures as well as all preventive measures,†his outfit said in a statement.
Mr. Djerad called on his compatriots to “continue to observe conscientiously and rigorously, the measures of hygiene, social distancing and protection,†according to the statement.
On Saturday, the prime minister had ordered the reopening of several businesses, including hairdressing salons, bakeries and clothing and shoe shops, in order to “reduce the economic and social impact of the health crisisâ€.
In addition, since the beginning on Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan, the authorities have relaxed the curfew decreed in several regions of the country because of the epidemic.
In the wilaya (prefecture) of Blida, near Algiers, where the first cases of new coronavirus were recorded, the total confinement has been lifted, giving way to a curfew from 14H00 to 07H00 local (13H00 to 06H00 GMT).
And in the nine wilayas most affected by the pandemic, including Algiers, curfews have been reduced by two hours.
According to official figures, 432 deaths have been recorded so far in Algeria. A total of 3,517 cases have been officially reported.
Algeria with a population of 44 million is the African country with the highest number of Covid-19 deaths.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted that there is a shortage of protective kit for medics as the country battles the coronavirus.
This was despite a big increase in production and imports, he said.
Mr Putin warned that the peak of the coronavirus infection rate had not yet been reached in the country, and the population must remain vigilant.
Russia’s lockdown aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19 was extended until 11 May.
It has more than 93,000 coronavirus cases, with 867 recorded deaths.
What did Putin say? The president said there was still not enough protective equipment for health workers on the frontline of the crisis.
“Compared to before, [we’re producing] a lot. But compared what we need, it’s still not enough,” he said during a televised briefing.
“Despite increased production, imports – there’s a deficit of all sorts of things,” he added.
Medics have complained about working without proper protective clothing, especially in Russia’s regions.
Russia is now producing 100,000 protective suits for medics per day, up from 3,000 a day in March, he said. Production of masks has also increased more than 10 times, to 8.5 million per day in April.
Mr Putin said that while the government had managed to “slow the spread” of the epidemic, Russians would have to self-isolate for longer.
He said the lockdown would continue for two more weeks, though he instructed the government to draw up recommendations by 5 May for a gradual easing of restrictions.
“The deadly danger of the virus remains,” he said.
U.S. stock index futures climbed higher on Tuesday ahead of the next round of quarterly earnings reports, with investors also keenly looking at the safety of reopening economies hit hard by the coronavirus-induced shutdowns.
Wall Street kicked off the week on a strong note Monday as several U.S. states allowed businesses to reopen after a near-total halt in activity to contain the outbreak.
Powered by a raft of U.S. monetary and fiscal stimulus, all three major stock indexes are now within 20% of their record closing highs, but analysts warn of further losses as economic data foreshadows a deep global recession.
Consumer confidence figures for April due later in the day are expected to slide further from near three-year lows hit in March, as widespread production halts put millions of Americans out of work.
Investors are also waiting for a two-day Federal Reserve policy meeting that kicks off on Tuesday, although expectations are low for more central bank easing at this time.
Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) jump-started first-quarter reports for the day with its first quarterly loss in nine years, but shares rose 3.4% as it said its average daily cash burn will slow in the second quarter.
Drugmakers Merck & Co (MRK.N) and Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and industrial conglomerate 3M Co (MMM.N) are also scheduled to report results before the bell, while Google parent Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O), Ford Motor Co (F.N) and Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) are among the high profile companies reporting after markets close.
At 05:41 a.m. EDT, Dow e-minis 1YMcv1 were up 283 points, or 1.18%, S&P 500 e-minis EScv1 were up 30 points, or 1.05% and Nasdaq 100 e-minis NQcv1 were up 98.25 points, or 1.11%.
SPDR S&P 500 ETFs (SPY.P) rose 1.07%.
The S&P 500 index .SPX closed up 1.47% at 2,878.48? on Monday.
Germans have started wearing facemasks outside the home as new rules come into force to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The use of cloth masks is now mandatory on public transport and, in most regions, within shops.
The rules vary among the 16 German states – Bavaria being the strictest, while in Berlin shoppers do not have to wear masks.
But the authorities are moving very cautiously in easing the lockdown.
Across the world countries are coming up with their own guidance on mask-wearing. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) advice suggests people should wear protective masks only if they are sick and showing symptoms, or if they are caring for people suspected to have Covid-19.
It says masks are not recommended for the general public because they can be contaminated by coughs and sneezes, and might offer a false sense of security.
German media report that mask-wearing is now required in school corridors and when children go on breaks, but not in the classroom. Students sit in class spaced apart and there is more frequent cleaning with disinfectant.
Students preparing for their school leaving exams are also back in class. Most German schoolchildren are still at home under lockdown.
The German authorities require mask-wearing at stations and on buses and trains, but not yet on long-distance trains.
Home-made cloth masks are acceptable; people are not expected to wear hospital-style intensive care masks. These are now on sale in station vending machines and at markets.
Monday also saw some further easing of the lockdowns in the Czech Republic and Switzerland, while Italy has set out a detailed plan for easing its lockdown which remains one of the strictest in Europe.
The UK is at the moment of maximum risk in the coronavirus outbreak, Boris Johnson has said, as he urged people not to lose patience with the lockdown.
Speaking outside No 10 for the first time since recovering from the virus, Mr Johnson said “we are now beginning to turn the tide” on the disease.
But he said he refused to “throw away” the public’s “effort and sacrifice” and relax the lockdown too soon.
More details on any changes will be given in the “coming days”, he added.
On Tuesday at 11:00 BST, a minute’s silence will be held to commemorate key workers who have died with the virus. Mr Johnson and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have both invited the country to take part.
The latest government figures brought the total number of people who have died with the virus in UK hospitals to 20,732, after a further 413 were announced on Sunday.
Figures released separately on Monday – which differ slightly from the government’s daily figures because of the timeframe they cover – show a further 329 people have died in England, 13 in Scotland and eight in Wales.
‘Invisible mugger’ The PM returned to Downing Street on Sunday after more than three weeks off sick.
Mr Johnson apologised for being “away from my desk for much longer than I would’ve liked” and thanked his colleagues who stood in for him – as well as the public for their “sheer grit and guts”.
In the speech on Monday morning, Mr Johnson said he understood concerns from business owners who were impatient to end the lockdown.
But ending it too soon could lead to a second spike in cases and cause more deaths, “economic disaster” and restrictions being reintroduced, he said.
“I ask you to contain your impatience,” Mr Johnson added.
He said there were “real signs now that we are passing through the peak” – including with fewer hospital admissions and fewer Covid-19 patients in intensive care.
And comparing the outbreak to someone being attacked, Mr Johnson said: “If this virus were a physical assailant, an unexpected and invisible mugger – which I can tell you from personal experience, it is – then this is the moment when we have begun together to wrestle it to the floor.
“And so it follows that this is the moment of opportunity, this is the moment when we can press home our advantage, it is also the moment of maximum risk.
“I know there will be many people looking at our apparent success, and beginning to wonder whether now is the time to go easy on those social distancing measures.”
Mr Johnson said the UK has “so far collectively shielded our NHS” and “flattened the peak” – but he could not yet say when or which restrictions would be lifted to ease lockdown.
Once the UK is meeting the five tests for easing restrictions – including a consistent fall in the death rate and making sure the NHS can cope – “then that will be the time to move on to the second phase” in the fight against the outbreak, he said.
But he added: “We simply cannot spell out now how fast or slow, or even when those changes will be made though. Clearly, the government will be saying much more about this in the coming days.”
A Downing Street spokesman said there could be more on how the government will judge the country’s ability to “move forward” by the end of the week.
Speaking at the Scottish government’s daily briefing, Ms Sturgeon said it was “not the time to throw caution to the wind” and lift lockdown measures – although there had been “real signs of progress”.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte came under attack on Monday from Italy’s Catholic bishops and even some of his own cabinet members for refusing to reintroduce mass once the coronavirus lockdown is lifted.
Conte has unveiled a gradual easing of restrictions that will restore some semblance of former life starting on May 4.
The Mediterranean country’s official death toll of 26,664 is Europe’s highest and second globally only to the United States.
But the number of infections has been ebbing and scientists believe the contagion rate is low enough to gradually get back to work.
Conte has allowed Italians to take strolls in parks and go jogging starting next Monday.
More stores will reopen and restaurants will resume takeout service.
Even museums will unlock their gates on May 18 in an effort to draw back tourists and help out Italy’s devastated hotel and services industry.
But there will still be no mass and attendance at funerals will be limited to 15 people.
Conte and Health Minister Roberto Speranza agreed with a scientific committee conclusion that “the elderly in the parish are too frail to risk”, La Repubblica daily wrote.
The bishops are livid.
“We cannot accept to see the freedom of worship compromised,” the Italian Episcopal Conference of the country’s top bishops said in a statement.
“Why on earth, with proper precautions, can you go to a museum but not to mass?”
Powerful enemies
The Corriere della Sera newspaper said the bishops had been lobbying Conte to allow Sunday mass services that would be limited to about 20 people.
They also urged up to 15 people to be permitted to attend weddings and baptisms.
But Conte only allowed broader access to funerals and promised to look into how other religious curbs can be relaxed in the coming weeks.
“I understand that freedom of worship is a fundamental people’s right,” Conte told the nation on Sunday.
“I understand your suffering. But we must continue discussing this further with the scientific committee.”
Italy’s Family Minister Elena Bonetti called Conte’s decision “incomprehensible”.
“It is up to politicians to protect the country’s wellbeing, and religious freedom is among our fundamental rights,” the minister said.
La Repubblica daily warned that Conte was developing powerful enemies at a critical juncture.
Italy’s competing political forces had appeared to put aside their squabbles as the nation entered what was widely regarded as its gravest emergency since World War II.
But Conte has been coming under growing criticism and pressure from regional leaders and political opponents as he decides which industries to open up first.
“This is the (bishops’) first open conflict with the prime minister,” La Repubblica noted.
The whole point of restaurants, bars, clubs and live entertainment venues is to reduce social distance but they are uniquely hammered by continued measures, with the prospect of the shutdown continuing well into next year.
For those who work in the sector – many of them young – the question is whether to think about a complete change of direction.
If we cannot socialise in public, indoor spaces, what does it do to us as social beings?
The hospitality business is all about reducing social distance – people getting together to eat, drink and enjoy entertainment.
That is the point of it. And that’s exactly what we’re not being allowed to do, probably into next year.
The pathway to recovery, as set out by the Scottish government, looks like a long and potentially bumpy road, particularly for hospitality.
It tells business leaders it will try to support them, but it’s also up to business to adapt to changes in markets, and to redesign workplaces to fit in with social distancing requirements.
That is a big ask of offices, where one calculation is that only 40% of office workers will be able to return to work, if they are to fit with the constraints of social distance and avoid hot-desking.
For restaurants, bars, clubs, concert venues, theatres and cinemas, it’s hard to see how they could comply with the rules of social distancing, and still have enough customers to make each business viable.
Christmas 2021
These firms are burning through cash. The majority have less than three months before they run out. The vast majority have less than six months.
That time horizon can be extended by government support, but that doesn’t pay for fixed costs. And the longer the lockdown or disruption to business, the harder it is for companies to rebuild.
The most likely timing for a new vaccine to be ready is the second half of next year. That makes it a serious prospect that the next time you have a meal with friends, family or colleagues could be to celebrate Christmas of next year.
Industry body UK Hospitality said on Thursday that there could be a million job losses if governments (it mainly had the UK one in mind) don’t plan adequately. Planning for necessary equipment has not been a feature of the crisis so far.
So the lobby group has these suggestions:
Extend the furlough scheme beyond the end of June, at least for hospitality.
Legislative intervention to reduce demands for rent payment (the UK has gone some way towards that today, with measures to stop aggressive rent collection).
Improved access to capital with help from government through banks.
Tax incentives and government spending aimed at stimulation of demand as we emerge from crisis.
Overhaul business regulation
Guaranteeing “a functioning and responsive insurance market”.
Scarring effects
What about the workers? Will government support be sufficient to sustain the needs and hopes of all the people who work in the sector?
In this week’s State of the Economy report by the chief economist at the Scottish government, he pointed out that they are disproportionately aged under 25.
That’s the age at which a recession has previously been shown to have the maximum “scarring” effect on future job prospects. If you don’t make a good start, it can still have effects on work stability and earnings many decades later.
There is a comment in the Scottish government’s Pathway to Recovery document that it is government’s role to support people into changes that will take place in the labour market as we come out of this.
So the question for such workers is whether they need to look to new roles with new skills in different sectors, rather than wait and hope, perhaps well into next year, to get their old roles back.
Relationships
Apart from the workers and those running businesses, there’s another important group affected by the nightmare facing the hospitality industry – us, the customers.
If we can’t meet friends in a restaurant or bar, see live entertainment or live sport, and for that to remain the case for nine months, a year, perhaps 18 months until there’s a vaccine available, what does that do to us?
This is not a financial calculation. It’s about our sense of ourselves: our social lives as social beings: and the quality of our relationships with other people.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday claimed New Zealand had scored a significant victory against the spread of the coronavirus, as the country began a phased exit from lockdown.
“There is no widespread, undetected community transmission in New Zealand,” Ardern declared. “We have won that battle.”
After nearly five weeks at the maximum Level Four restrictions, with only essential services operating, the country will move to Level Three late on Monday.
That will allow some businesses, takeaway food outlets and schools to reopen.
But Ardern warned there was no certainty about when all transmission can be eliminated, allowing a return to normal life.
Everyone wants to “bring back the social contact that we all miss”, she said, “but to do it confidently we need to move slowly and we need to move cautiously.”
“I will not risk the gains we’ve made in the health of New Zealanders. So if we need to remain at Level Three, we will.”
The easing of restrictions came as New Zealand, a nation of five million people, reported only one new case of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 1,122 with 19 deaths.
Italy has outlined plans to ease the strict restrictions imposed seven weeks ago to curb the spread of the coronavirus as it recorded its lowest daily death toll since mid-March.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said curbs would be relaxed from 4 May, with people being allowed to visit their relatives in small numbers, in masks.
Parks will reopen, but schools will not restart classes until September.
Italy has reported 26,644 virus-related deaths, Europe’s highest official toll.
The country recorded 260 new deaths on Sunday, the lowest daily figure since 14 March. It has confirmed 197,675 cases of the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the disease globally.
The number of cases has been falling, and authorities now believe Italy’s contagion rate – the number of people each person with the virus infects – is low enough to justify a cautious easing of curbs.
What has been announced?
Speaking on television, Mr Conte outlined how the country would begin “Phase Two” of lifting its coronavirus lockdown. The measures include:
People will be allowed to move around their own regions – but not between different regions
Funerals are set to resume, but with a maximum of 15 people attending, and ideally to be carried out outdoors
Individual athletes can resume training, and people can do sports not only in the vicinity of their homes but in wider areas
Bars and restaurants will reopen for takeaway service from 4 May (not just delivery as now), but food must be consumed at home or in an office
Hairdressers, beauty salons, bars and restaurants are expected to reopen for dine-in service from 1 June
More retail shops not already opened under the earliest easing measures will reopen on 18 May – along with museums and libraries
Sports teams will also be able to hold group training from 18 May
There was no announcement on the possibility of Italy’s premier football league Serie A resuming, even behind closed doors.
Mr Conte stressed that social distancing measures would need to continue for months to come, and said church services would remain banned. He urged people to stay a metre (3ft) away from each other.
“If we do not respect the precautions the curve will go up, the deaths will increase, and we will have irreversible damage to our economy,” the prime minister said. “If you love Italy, keep your distance.”
President Nana Akufo-Addo has extended the ban on public gatherings including religious activities and funerals by an additional two weeks.
He made this known during his eighth televised address to the nation on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country on Sunday, April 26, 2020.
The extension comes into full force on Monday, April 27, 2020, at 1:00 am.
The Israeli government Friday approved new steps to ease its lockdown measures for retail and service businesses, in the hope of reinvigorating the collapsing economy.
While malls will remain closed, all other shops will be allowed to reopen if they follow strict measures such as limiting the number of customers on the premises, a joint statement from the prime minister’s office and the finance and health ministries said.
Wearing face masks in public became mandatory earlier this month, and will also be required in stores.
Hairdressers and beauty salons will be permitted to reopen with client limits, while restaurants and cafes, which over the past weeks have been delivery-only, can start selling takeaway.
Less than a week ago, Israeli authorities announced the reopening of certain shops including hardware stores.
The new measures will come into effect at midnight Saturday and will apply until May 3, the statement said.
Also Friday, the government voted to provide support worth eight billion shekels (over $2.2 billion) to the self-employed and to small businesses.
Israel announced its first case of the novel coronavirus on February 21, and has since officially declared more than 14,800 cases, including 193 deaths.
The country took rapid measures to impose social distancing and has been in lockdown for weeks.
A poll published Friday in Maariv newspaper found 60 percent of Israelis surveyed had a favourable view of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions to prevent the spread of the virus.
But the same percentage thought his handling of the economy was poor.
Before the coronavirus crisis, Israel had an unemployment rate of around 3.4 percent, but that has jumped to around 25 percent since the shutdown.
More than 12 million players logged in for Fortnite’s concert featuring Travis Scott, with reviewers calling it “stunning” and “spectacular”.
It included a skyscraper-sized version of Scott teleporting across the landscape as he performed his songs.
Fortnite is one the world’s most popular games, attracting millions of young players from across the globe.
Scott used the opportunity to reveal a new song, while players celebrated the event with themed in-game items.
The award-winning artist has sold tens of millions of records in his career, and was due to perform at the world-famous Coachella music festival this summer before it was postponed.
Those who missed the digital debut, however, can catch “encore” performances at the weekend.
A digital version of Scott performed a fully-animated, scripted 10-minute set – shorter than a concert performance.
As Scott moved from song to song, his virtual avatar changed – first into a cyborg, then a fluorescent spaceman.
The landscape shifted and crumbled around players on an enormous scale.
After it was over, Scott tweeted: “Honestly today was one of the most inspiring days. Love every single one of you guys.”
The Adentan Circuit Court has granted bail to 28 out of 32 persons accused of breaching the Imposition of Restrictions Act.
These persons were on board two commercial buses travelling from Accra to Dambai in the Oti Region.
The court imposed a bail condition of a sum of GH¢5,000 and two sureties on each of the 28 people who pleaded not guilty.
According to a Police statement, one of the remaining four out of the 32 accused persons who pleaded guilty was fined an amount of GHS12,000.
Two others had their final judgement deferred and the fourth person was discharged on health grounds.
Below is the Police statement:
Status of Case Involving Suspects Arrested at Adenta-Dodowa COVID 19 Snap Check Point on 16th April, 2020
On Thursday 16th April, 2020 at about 02 am, security personnel stationed at Adenta-Dodowa snap checkpoint arrested 43 passengers including children on board two commercial buses travelling from Accra to Dambai in the Oti Region.
The two vehicles were impounded and all 32 adults including the drivers were arraigned at the Adenta Circuit Court on 16th and 17th April, 2020 for breaching the Imposition on Restrictions law.
The Court ordered for testing of all the accused persons, leading to their samples having been taken by the Adenta Municipal COVID-19 Response Team.
In all, 28 accused persons pleaded not guilty and were granted bail to the sums of GHS5,000 with two sureties each. Three who pleaded guilty were convicted on their own plea and one of them was fined an amount of GHS12,000 while sentencing for the two other convicts was deferred.
The last accused, aged 20 years was discharged by the court to enable her cater for her six months old baby who was seriously sick and had earlier in the day been sent to the Frafraha Community Health Centre for treatment.
Nestle (NESN.S) reported a 4.3% rise in organic sales growth for the first quarter, the food giant said on Friday, as consumers filled cupboards with Purina pet food and Nescafe coffee to prepare for lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Nestle said it is launching a 500 million Swiss franc ($511.77 million) program to help the cafes and restaurants it supplies during the new coronavirus crisis, by extending payment terms and suspending rental fees for coffee machines.
The KitKat chocolate and Nescafe coffee maker also said it was keeping its outlook for the year, which targets continued improvement in organic sales growth – a measure which strips out currency and acquisition effects – and a higher underlying operating profit margin.
Analysts on average were expecting a 3.0% increase in first-quarter underlying sales growth, according to company-supplied estimates.
Total sales for the three months to the end of March fell 6.2% to 20.8 billion Swiss francs ($21.30 billion) mainly due to divestitures of its Skin Health and U.S. ice-cream business last year.
The Vevey, Switzerland- based company also said it was launching a strategic review of its struggling Yinlu peanut milk and canned rice porridge businesses in China. The businesses generated sales of 700 million Swiss francs last year.
Increased at-home consumption and stockpiling in North America in March because of government-imposed lockdowns lifted demand for Purina Pet care and Hot Pockets frozen food, Nestle said.
In Europe, Middle East and North Africa (EMENA), more consumers reached for Maggi noodles and plant-based products from its Garden Gourmet brand. Both regions posted organic sales growth above 7%.
In contrast, underlying sales in Asia fell 4.6% as customers in China held off restaurant visits and shopping trips during much of the quarter.
Peer Unilever (ULVR.L) (UNA.AS) reported flat underlying sales growth in the first quarter and ditched its full-year sales targets on Thursday, as the coronavirus outbreak knocked consumption in its emerging markets.
Koku Anyidoho, a former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has stated that the decision to lift the lockdown was an honest one since it brought untold hardship in some homes.
He recounted how he had to give GH¢10 to two minors, who were four and 10 years old, he came into contact with when they approached him selling a pack of toilet roll.
Mr Anyidoho said the two minors were asked to sell the pack of toilet roll to help the family purchase food to feed themselves and he had to give them the money but did not take the pack of toilet roll.
According to him, a few moments later, the whole family came to thank him because they had nothing at home to feed on and he had to use the story as an illustration to paint the difficulty some homes went through during the lockdown.
“I believe the President has taken a decision which is in the interest of the state, we must pray, assist and support him, we must adhere to the hygiene protocols including social distancing, hand washing with soap and water under running water, avoiding handshakes among others.
“The President can return with another address imposing another lockdown hence there should be no need for people to create fear and panic, more hunger deaths can be recorded compared to the deadly Coronavirus,†Mr Anyidoho cautioned.
By the time children under 14 are allowed out of their homes again on Sunday, Spain’s lockdown will have been in place for six weeks.
The government has now given details of how it’ll work under a so-called 1-1-1 rule. Up to three children will be allowed out with one responsible adult for one hour and for up to 1km (0.6 miles) from their home.
Most families live in flats so for the 6.8 million children involved this is a big moment. They’ll be allowed to run, carry toys and a ball, and carry a scooter, between 0900 and 2100. But parks and playgrounds will stay out of bounds and social distancing will have to continue.
The government initially said children could only go to the shops with their parents but they relented when faced with a chorus of criticism and now say running, jumping and exercising will be allowed too.
The UK’s inflation rate fell to 1.5% in March, largely driven by falls in the price of clothing and fuel ahead of the coronavirus lockdown.
The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell from 1.7% in February, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Clothing stores had offered more discounts as shoppers began staying at home, it said. Falling oil prices also resulted in cheaper petrol prices.
Economists warn inflation could slide to 0.5% in 2020 as the economy shrinks.
The ONS’s latest data was collected on 17 March, just before lockdown started on 23 March. But its head of inflation, Mike Hardie, said there were already signs people were spending less in shops and more on necessities such as food.
The agency said the average price of clothes and shoes fell 1.2% in the year to March 2020.
It also said average petrol prices stood at 119.4 pence per litre during the month – the lowest seen since February 2019, while diesel stood at 123.8p
The UK benchmark for oil has fallen to about $16 (£13) a barrel as economic activity has slowed. That is a fall of about 75% since the start of the year.
Sarah Hewin, senior economist at Standard Chartered bank, told the BBC’s Today programme: “Normally low inflation would be welcomed as it means people have effectively more to spend in the shop but these are not normal circumstances.
“The fall in inflation, in addition to low energy prices, is an indication of the steep recession we will see in the coming months.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Wishart at Capital Economics said: “We suspect a larger fall in CPI inflation, from 1.5% to 0.9%, is in store for April as Ofgem [the regulator] lowers the cap on utility bills to reflect past falls in wholesale energy prices.”
He added that falling employment, consumer caution and lower energy prices could pull inflation “down to just 0.5% in the second half of this year”.
‘More help needed’
CPI remains below the Bank of England’s 2% target for inflation.
Inflation is one of the main factors that the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) considers when setting the “base rate”. That influences what interest rate banks can charge people to borrow money, or what they pay on their savings.
In an emergency move last month, Last month it cut rates from 0.25% to 0.1% to support the economy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. They are now at the lowest level in the Bank’s 325-year history.
It also said it would increase its holdings of UK government and corporate bonds by £200bn in an effort to lower the cost of borrowing.
But Melissa Davies, chief economist at Redburn, said the Bank needs to go further: “It will be a volatile ride for inflation over the next year, with negative numbers a possibility followed by a sharp reversal.”
She added: “More stimulus is needed, with only limited quantitative easing help from the Bank of England and the Treasury’s lending guarantee scheme falling short. Even the furlough scheme is only delaying an inevitable and large spike in unemployment.”
Spending on digital video games hit a record high $10 billion in March as people stuck at home under coronavirus lockdowns turned to gaming, market tracker SuperData reported on Thursday.
Money spent on major console games leapt to $1.5 billion in March from $883 million in February, while spending on games played on high-performance personal computers climbed 56 percent to $567 million in the same comparison.
Console and PC games tend to be popular in Europe and North America where restrictions on going out were ramped up in March due to the pandemic.
“Individuals are turning to games as a reliable entertainment option during the COVID-19 crisis and are using online multiplayer to keep in touch with others,” SuperData said in a blog post.
Overall revenue from digital video games for the month was up 11 percent year-on-year, according to the industry tracker.
Nintendo sold five million copies of its family friendly “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” in March, setting a sales record for the most units of a digital console game sold in a single month, SuperData said.
The closing of real-world stores due to the pandemic was cited as a factor in gamers purchasing more titles as digital downloads.
Spending rose 15 percent on mobile games, a lot of them played on smartphones, reaching $5.7 billion in March, SuperData reported.
Among other leading titles, “Pokemon Go” saw revenue for the mobile game grow 18 percent in March after maker Niantic modified features to make it easier to play without needing to be out and about, according to SuperData.
New-generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles along with games tailored for the hardware are expected to launch by the end of this year.
Microsoft has unveiled a name and look for its new gaming console, the Xbox Series X.
Meanwhile, Sony is readying a powerful PlayStation 5 for market.
Consoles face a potential threat from the advent of cloud gaming, however.
Google early this month made its Stadia online video game service free to provide an escape for those hunkered down at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Launched late last year, Stadia is crafted to let people access console-quality games as easily as they do email on an array of internet-linked devices.
“Keeping social distance is vital, but staying home for long periods can be difficult and feel isolating,” Stadia vide president Phil Harrison said in an online post.
“Video games can be a valuable way to socialize with friends and family when you’re stuck at home.”
Google is offering free access to Stadia for two months.
Ghana’s aggressive and successful tracing and testing capacity and other control mechanisms have informed the lifting of the partial lockdown on Accra, Kumasi and Tema.
So far, 1,042 persons, representing 1.5 per cent in excess of 60,000 tested for COVID-19, have been confirmed positive, with 67,549 (89.5 per cent), testing negative, with 99 persons recovered and discharged.
In a national televised address, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo indicated that 930 persons who had been isolated were responding to treatment either in their homes or in treatment facilities and that they would later undergo the mandatory two tests to determine their status.
He attributed the reason for the increase in the number of confirmed cases over the last three weeks, to the decision taken by the government and the health authorities to aggressively trace and test all contacts of infected persons.
This, he said, had enabled the authorities to identify and isolate infected persons, protect the population from further infections, and better contain the spread of the virus.
Ghana has since its first two record cases of COVID-19 infections on its shores, traced a total of 86,000 contacts, and tested samples of 68,591, leaving a backlog of about 18,000 persons whose test results are yet to be received.
The West African country’s success rate also made her the only other country in Africa to have conducted more than 60,000 tests, and “we are ranked number one in Africa in administering of tests per million people.
The President stated that the decision by the government to impose restrictions on movement was backed by the data at hand, and that it’s next course of action, again, was backed by the statistics available as well as science.
“Indeed all that the government is doing is intended to achieve five key objectives-limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain it’s spread; provide adequate care for the sick; limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life, and inspire the expansion of our domestic capability and deepen our self-reliance,” he said.
He, however, urged the public not to be complacent about the country’s efforts and achievements so far in containing the community spread of the virus to a large extent.
He said the numbers of confirmed cases of COVID-19 would still go up due to the effective contact tracing which was still actively on-going in all the other areas across the country.
The President encouraged the public to continue to adhere to all the safety and hygiene protocols, especially maintaining social distancing of at least two meters, regular handwashing with soap under running water, or use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser, having good nutrition, exercising and avoiding stress.
More than 70,000 extra troops will be deployed in South Africa to help enforce a lockdown intended to stop the spread of conronavirus, national broadcaster SABC says.
Opposition leader John Steenhusien has tweeted a letter that President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote to parliament saying that he had decided to deploy an extra 73,180 soldiers because of an increase in reported cases across the country.
Initially, the president had approved the deployment of just under 3,000 soldiers to assist in the implementation of a strict lockdown.
Jogging, dog walking and alcohol sales have all been banned. But security officers have found it hard in some places to enforce the measures.
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula confirmed the letter’s details on local radio, the AFP news agency reports.
“If you look at the numbers and the rate at which the infection has gone up, you will realise that at some point we may actually need the kind of human deployment which has never been seen before,” AFP quotes her as saying.
There are 3,465 confirmed coronavirus case in South Africa and there have been 58 deaths.
The lifting of the partial lockdown imposed on Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Tema and Kasoa to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to elicit divergent views from various sections of the public.
Four associations have expressed varied views on the timing of the lifting of the restrictions on movement.
While two of the groups said the decision by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was a step in the right direction, the rest said it could spell doom for the country if care was not taken.
The associations are the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), the Institute of Chartered Economists of Ghana (ICEG) and the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL).
In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic last Monday, GUTA and the ICEG said the lifting of the restrictions was a positive development that would breathe some life into the economy.
However, the ICU and the GFL stated that although the partial lockdown had economic implications, it ought to have been extended for at least a month to flatten the curve of confirmed cases before a decision was taken to lift the restrictions.
Lockdown
On March 28, 2020, President Akufo-Addo announced a partial lockdown to help halt the spread of COVID-19.
As part of that restriction, businesses were closed and movements restricted, with the exception of essential service providers.
The two-week restriction which took effect from March 31, was extended for another week until it was lifted at 1a.m. last Monday.
GUTA
The President of GUTA, Dr Joseph Obeng, described the lifting of the partial lockdown as a huge relief to the business community.
He noted, however, that businesses would have to go through turbulent moments to pick up and give life back to the economy.
“There is going to be a lot of challenges for businesses within the next one month before we can settle down again. Liquidity has been suppressed because almost all of us were in the house so when we start again, people will now have to meet cost demands and look for money to buy goods,†he said.
To address that challenge, he called for the immediate implementation of the stimulus package announced by the government to give a lifeline to small-scale and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“The trader associations should be involved in any committee that will be set up to disburse this stimulus package so that we can make our inputs and ensure that the support is directed to the right beneficiaries,†he said.
Dr Obeng also called on the government to extend the suspension of the payment of demurrages and rent charges for at least one month.
According to him, that gesture would help importers to recover from the 21-day lockdown.
ICEG
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ICEG, Mr Gideon Amissah, said although the lifting of the partial lockdown had some health implications, the institute believed that it was a positive move for the economy.
“I believe that many perspectives, including political, medical and economic, came into play in the decision to lift the movement restrictions. From where I sit as a business person, I will obviously argue for the economic perspective.
“Probably, the government believes that they may have done enough because they have the overall picture of all the perspectives on the issue,†he said.
Mr Amissah stressed that lifting of the restriction was a step in the right direction, considering the fact that economic activities had been negatively affected within the lockdown period.
He noted that had the restrictions been stretched further, poverty levels would have worsened, unemployment would have increased, businesses would have shrunk, prices would have soared and that would have created a general high cost of living in the country.
The economist said the lifting of the restriction was a positive move to address challenges in public finance, such as dwindling income tax, unbudgeted expenditure and declining revenue from the oil sector.
ICU dissents
For his part, the General Secretary of the ICU, Mr Solomon Kotei, said the lifting of the restriction was premature, given that the country had recorded more confirmed cases during the lockdown period.
“The ICU has always been of the view that a total lockdown will have dire consequences on the country but we expected that the partial lockdown would take at least a month,†he said.
He noted, however, that once the President had lifted the ban on movement in the affected areas, it was important for members of the public to protect themselves by adhering strictly to the health and safety protocols that had been outlined by health authorities.
“We should do our part by observing social distancing, wear nose masks, wash our hands regularly and pray that the systems put in place by the government work well,†he said.
Mr Kotei called on employers, especially those in the private sector, to try and pay the salaries of their workers in full.
GFL
The General Secretary of GFL, Mr Abraham Koomson, described the lifting of the restrictions as “untimely and suicidal,†adding that it was not based on scientific proof.
He noted that the government ought to have ensured that exhaustive COVID-19 tests were done to scientifically assess the situation before lifting the partial lockdown.
“It is suicidal to play down the potential threat of this pandemic on people’s health unless the scary reports we continue to read and hear in the news are fabrications,†he said.
Mr Koomson added that although the partial lockdown visited some hardships on businesses and members of the public, the government ought to have prioritised the safety of the people and maintained the restrictions a bit more.
He stressed that it was important for the government to ensure that interventions in the form of stimulus packages for industries were implemented as early as possible to cushion businesses.
“When this happens, workers will not worry about job insecurity as employers will be able to sustain their businesses,†he said.
Mr Koomson also said once the President had maintained the ban on social gatherings that had been in place for about a month, there was the need to enforce it to ensure that no institution breached it.
Italy will announce its plan to gradually exit its lockdown by the end of this week, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.
In a Facebook post, Mr Conte said the country could not give up its policy of “maximum caution”, and said Italy would reopen in line with “serious scientific policy”.
“A reasonable expectation is that we will apply it from May 4,” he said.
Italy has reported 24,114 deaths, the highest recorded toll in Europe.
Data released on Monday showed the number of people officially confirmed as infected with coronavirus had dropped for the first time since the outbreak began. Italian authorities said the symbolic drop of 20 cases was a “positive development”.
The third-largest economy in the eurozone has been under lockdown measures since 9 March, brought in to tackle the spread of the virus.
Countries across Europe are slowly beginning to ease the restrictions, on businesses and on education. There is however no coordination between states.
Some countries like Denmark have already reopened primary schools, while Spain’s government is discussing on Tuesday how to ease its tight restrictions and allow children outside.
What did Italy’s PM say?
Mr Conte posted his statement on Facebook on Tuesday morning, insisting the government is working non-stop to coordinate moves towards “phase two” of its lockdown – “coexistence” with the virus.
“I would like to be able to say, let’s open everything. Right away,” he wrote. “But such a decision would be irresponsible. It would make the contagion curve rise uncontrollably and would jeopardise all the efforts that we’ve made until now.”
“The easing of measures must take place on the basis of a well-structured and articulated plan,” he said, adding that Italy “cannot abandon the line of maximum caution”.
Current national quarantine restrictions officially expire on 3 May. Mr Conte said he would announce the plan for how to leave the lockdown “before the end of this week”.
“A reasonable prediction is that we will apply it from 4 May,” he concluded.
What about other European lockdowns?
Many European nations have slowly started to ease restrictions this week, with Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Czech Republic among countries to allow certain businesses to reopen.
There is however no coordination at an EU level, and countries are reopening at different rates.
Denmark was the first in Europe to allow pupils back in the classroom, with students under the age of 12 returning to education last week.
Norway allowed kindergarten students to return on Monday, provided they bring their own lunches and follow new hygiene rules.
But older students across Europe remain at home. France has officially extended its nationwide lockdown until 11 May, but even after then schools are not expected to return immediately.
“On May 11, we are not going to have all the students enter the classroom, as if we were resuming normally,” the education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said on Tuesday.
Primary schools will likely return that week, followed by final year students from 18 May and all pupils from 25 May, he said.
Spain has implemented one of the strictest lockdowns. Children of any age there are not currently allowed outside for any reason.
The government is expected to ease those measures on Tuesday, with reports suggesting those under 12 years old will be allowed out under tight restrictions.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Atta-Mills Institute Koku Anyidoho, has said the decision to lift the lockdown was an honest one.
The outspoken former communications director at the presidency stated that the lockdown brought untold hardship in some homes.
Mr. Anyidoho recounted how he had to give GH¢10 to two minors he came into contact with when they approached him selling a pack of toilet roll.
He disclosed to Kwabena Agyapong that the two minors who were 4 and 10 years old, were asked to sell the pack of toilet roll to help the family purchase food to feed themselves.
According to him, he had to give them the money but did not take the pack of toilet roll.
A few moments later, the whole family he said came to thank him because they had nothing at home to feed on.
Mr. Anyidoho said he had to use the story as an illustration paint the difficulty some homes went through during the lockdown.
“I believe the president has taken a decision which is in the interest of the state. We must pray and support him,” he added.
For him, Ghanaians must adhere to the protocols including social distancing, hand washing with soap and water, avoiding handshakes among others.
Mr. Anyidoho said the president could return with another address imposing another lockdown hence there should be no need for people to create fear and panic.
In concluding his submission he suggested more hunger deaths could be recorded compared to the deadly Coronavirus.
The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) on Monday met with local market queens to strategize on how to weave social distancing and other controls into the activities of the markets in the long term.
To ensure social distance at the various markets and curb the spread of the COVID-19 in the metropolis when the lockdown directive was given, the Assembly met with the market queens and agreed to relocate the various markets to parks.
In that light, the main Community One market was relocated to the Twedaase and Oninku schools parks while Communities four, seven, eight and nine markets ended up at the Chemu park, a temporary market was also created at Kplejootsoshishi in Tema Manhean.
Mr Frank Asante, TMA Public Relations Officer, speaking to the Ghana News Agency, said the temporal markets were still in place as they were meeting with the queen mothers to brainstorm on the best way forward.
Mr Asante added that looking at the layout of the markets there was the need to put in proper measures before considering reopening them for trading as the COVID-19 disease was still in the country.
He added that a similar meeting would be held with leadership of the various transport unions in Metropolis to ensure that they encouraged their members to still practice social distancing by reducing the number of passengers they carried.
He further noted that the Metropolitan Security Council (MESEC) would also meet to strategize towards the strict implementation on the restrictions on mass gathering such as funerals, religious gatherings, weddings, parties, beach activities, among others.
According to him, with the euphoria surrounding the lifting of the lockdown, some residents may think that they could organize such events therefore the need to make the presence of the security felt in the communities to avoid such happenings.
He urged residents, corporate institutions, banks and the public to continue to strictly observe the acceptable protocols of handwashing, use of sanitizers, wearing of nose masks and most importantly social distancing.
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says according to the experts one-week additional lockdown in Accra and Kumasi will not change the data.
President Akufo-Addo yesterday lifted the three weeks partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi.
The President in his 7th address to the nation said after several consultations with the medical authorities it became necessary to lift the restriction of movement.
President Akufo-Addo had earlier announced a 2 weeks partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi but extended by another week.
“With several consultations, I hereby lift the three weeks restriction of movement in Accra and Kumasi”
Some Ghanaians after the announcement said the President should have added a week to the lockdown after the case count reached 1,042.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said those comparing the figure during the announcement of the lockdown which is 137 and the current cases of 1,042 to make their argument are operating on assumptions that the restriction has something to do with the absolute number 137.
According to him, the President did not say in his address that the imposition of restriction was because of the number 137.
The Ghana Football Association has announced that its offices will remain closed despite government’s decision to lift the partial lockdown in the Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi and Kasoa environs.
This is because the government’s directive on public gathering of 25 or more persons is still in force.
Members of the GFA, including clubs, Regional Football Associations and all stakeholders are being reminded to continue with the use of the online systems of the GFA (email, Registration System – FIFA Connect etc) to communicate with the Secretariat.
The Association says football clubs are advised to strictly comply with the ban on gathering and sporting activities and are therefore reminded that group training is still not allowed until the ban on social gathering is lifted by the state.
The Ghana Premier League is currently suspended due to the widespread nature of the global pandemic
The Okyenhene Osagyefo Ofori Panin II has issued a one-month ultimatum to families within the Akyem-Abuakwa state to retrieve bodies of relatives so as to free up space in various morgues within the jurisdiction.
He said the morgues are piling up with bodies because families are waiting for the ban on social gatherings to be lifted so they organise funerals for the departed relatives.
The Okyenhene said the situation is now posing health threats among the public hospitals.
“Families must appreciate that compliance with this order is in their own interest as reports indicate the state of the corpses is deteriorating.
“This will also avoid the unhealthy situation where corpses that are not retrieved before the stated period are buried in mass graves,â€Â a statement signed by his State secretary, Ofori Atta read.
Since the directive by President Akufo-Addo for a ban on public gathering and strict adherence to social distancing, many Ghanaians have postponed the burial of dead relative although a private funeral with an attendance of 25 persons is permitted.
Morgues at the Pantang Hospital in Accra and Bono Regional Hospital have already reported congestion.
Health authorities have blamed this development on the alien nature of private burials in the Ghanaian culture.
The Police Hospital also released a statement announcing mass burial for some departed souls so as to free up space in its morgue.
But the situation continues to persist with more regions reporting similar fates.
But encouraging private burial among his people, the statement from the Okyenhene said these private burials that will be held will be done with supervision from the hospitals, health authorities, MMDCEs and the security services so as to ensure that all directives by President Akufo-Addo are followed.
Dr Michael Owusu a virologist at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research says there is a need for security officers to be in town to enforce the wearing of masks and social distancing protocol.
Even though the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi has been lifted, President Akufo-Addo has advised that everyone puts on a nose mask and observe social distancing.
Dr Owusu says the lifting of the lockdown will make no impact if Ghanaians abuse it and refuse to observe all the necessary measures which have been provided by the Ghana Health Service.
He believes that now is the time we need the security officers more to enforce the wearing of masks and social distancing protocol.
“We should put in surveillance in all our public transport, if someone is infected and enters a public transport and we are doing contact tracing and you don’t have a list how do you do that. The disease is in the system and is trying to get hold of it and if that happens we will have a hike in people at the hospital. The police and all security officials must ensure that all the measures be followed, if you go out without a sanitizer or nose mask you must be sent back home, I don’t think the security leaving the streets now is the best decision”.
Residents in Accra and Kumasi are free to move about currently but have been advised to be very careful and observe all measures to ensure they do not contract COVID-19.
Ever since President Akufo-Addo announced the decision to lift the lockdown, there has been mixed reactions as some believe it is a good decision which will ease the financial burden on them.
Others also think this could have a negative effect on many as it could aid the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Ghana’s case count as of April 19, 2020, was 1,042 with 9 deaths and 99 recoveries.
Police fought running battles overnight in Paris’s low-income northern suburbs with residents alleging heavy-handedness by officers enforcing France’s strict coronavirus lockdown.
Residents burned trash and cars and shot fireworks at police, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas in the suburbs of Villeneuve-la-Garenne and Aulnay-sous-Bois, witnesses and police said on Monday.
The tensions were ignited in the early hours of Saturday when a motorcyclist was injured during a police check in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, prompting about 50 angry bystanders to gather.
A police statement said the group targeted officers with “projectiles” in a near two-hour standoff.
The motorcyclist, 30, was hospitalised with a broken leg and had to undergo surgery after he had crashed into the open door of a police car.
Residents allege the door was opened deliberately so that the rider would smash into it.
The man will lodge a complaint against the officers, his family and a lawyer told AFP, while prosecutors have opened an investigation.
By Monday morning, calm had returned to Villeneuve-la-Garenne after a second night of riots marked by suburban fires and explosions, an AFP journalist observed.
The trouble had also spread to nearby Aulnay-sous-Bois, where police claimed they were “ambushed” by residents in a district of dense, high-rise social housing of mainly immigrant occupants who claim they are regularly the victims of harsh police treatment.
Police said they were targeted by residents using fireworks as projectiles. Four were arrested.
‘Confinement and tensions’
After the motorcyclist was injured on Saturday, rights group SOS Racisme issued a statement calling on authorities to shed full light on the incident, and urging police restraint “in this time of confinement and tensions”.
Earlier this month, prosecutors opened an investigation into the death in detention of a 33-year-old man arrested for allegedly violating the home confinement measures imposed by the government to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Police said the man resisted arrest. According to his sister, he had suffered from schizophrenia.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Sunday police had carried out 13.5 million checks since the lockdown started on March 17, with people allowed outside only for essential purposes, and then with a self-certified letter explaining their reasons for leaving their home.
More than 800,000 people were written up for violations.
Several complaints of brutality were lodged against French police during recent months of pension reform protests and “yellow vest” anti-government rallies.
Gender Minister Cynthia Morrison has assured that food distribution to the vulnerable will still take place despite President Akufo-Addo’s directive to lift the partial lockdown.
Mrs. Morrison says persons who were benefitting from the food distribution will continue to enjoy the service for a while.
“There is a need to concentrate on our very vulnerable people because the other category of people will go back to work so we will only focus on the very vulnerable. There will be a slight change, we will continue to supply the raw food we have but the cooked food is what we will stop”
The Gender Ministry announced measures to feed the vulnerable when the lockdown was announced by President Akufo-Addo last month,
The ministry began to distribute free meals to over 400,000 Ghanaians in locked-down areas.
Foods like rice, yam and so on were distributed in its raw state to help ease the economic hardship that came with COVID-19.
This was mainly fueled by the widespread concern over the treatment of some stranded head porters, also known as kayayei, with regards to their feeding and housing.
The Ministry got support from some corporate bodies and groups which were committed to providing meals for the vulnerable.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s case count as of April 20, 2020, stands at 1,042 with 9 deaths and 99 recoveries
Gender Minister Cynthia Morrison has assured the food distribution to the vulnerable will still go on despite President Akufo-Addo’s directive to lift the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi.
President Akufo-Addo on April 19, 2020, in his 7th address to the nation, announced that he has lifted the lockdown directive on these two regions but the ban on public gathering is still place.
Ms Morrison says persons who were benefitting from the food distribution will continue to enjoy that service for a while but it will only be food in its raw state.
“There is a need to concentrate on our very vulnerable people because the other category of people will go back to work so we will only focus on the very vulnerable. There will be a slight change, we will continue to supply the raw food we have but the cooked food is what we will stop”
When the lockdown was announced by President Akufo-Addo last month, the Gender Ministry announced measures to feed the vulnerable.
The government began to distribute free meals to over 400,000 Ghanaians in locked-down areas.
Some people also had foods like rice, yam in its raw state and it helped to ease the economic hardship that comes with COVID-19.
This was mainly fueled by widespread concern over the treatment of some stranded head porters, also known as kayayei, with regards to their feeding and housing.
The Ministry got support from some corporate bodies and groups which were committed to providing meals for the vulnerable.
Ghana’s case count as of April 19, 2020, stood at 1,042 with 9 deaths and 99 recoveries.
President Nana Addo Dankwa AkufoAddo has announced that the three-week partial lockdown on Greater Accra, Kasoa and Greater Kumasi has been lifted in an address to the Nation last night.
Many people are just not happy that our safety is now in our own hands, and rapper, Medikal took to his Twitter page to react to Nana Addo lifting the ban on partial lockdown.
Medikal has indicated that President Akufo Addo might impose an indefinite lock down.
Coronavirus cases in Ghana is now at 1042 confirmed cases; Greater Accra leads by 882 Cases.
Former Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says it obvious that the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo chose politics over science.
The President on Sunday April 19, 2020 announced the lifting of the ban which comes into effect on Monday April 20, 2020 at about 1am revoking the partial lockdown in the Greater Accra Region, Greater Kumasi and Tema.
This decision was reached after government put in place measures such as having one testing facility in each region, enhanced contact tracing, the production of PPEs locally, the date available to government and the severe effect of the partial lockdown on economic activities.
He mentioned that lifting the restriction does not mean the country is letting her guard down adding that all other measures announced earlier still holds.
But reacting to the move by the government, Okudzeto Ablakwah who is a leading member of the National Democratic Congress says the President chose his parochial interest over the national interest.
He said “Many experts are emphatic that our President chose politics over science. May God save usâ€.
Ghana has now recorded 1,042 positive cases after an enhanced contact tracing.
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo has lifted restrictions on movement in parts of the country that were under a partial lockdown and urged citizens to wear face masks.
Other restrictions like a ban on social gatherings and closure of schools will remain in force, while border crossings will stay shut for two more weeks to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The president said the decision follows a better understanding of the natures of the virus, success in containing its spread, an enhanced testing programme and the expansion of isolation and treatment centres.
The capital Accra, the second largest city Kumasi and the industrial city of Tema were placed under a three-week lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus.
The country has now recorded 1,042 cases of coronavirus and nine deaths.
Over 60,000 samples have been tested in the country.
The majority of the confirmed cases were from travellers or persons who may have contacted travellers.
The government has introduced the use of drones to expedite delivery of samples and a new rapid results testing programme. The country has also increased local production of Personal Productive Equipment (PPE).
The authorities have said they will continue to monitor the spread of the disease in the country and impose a lockdown in hotspots if necessary.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said lifting the three-week restriction on movement in some parts of the country imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus does not mean the government is letting down its guard in the fight against the virus.
According to the President, apart from the free movement of persons all other measures are still in force to control the spread of the disease.
Addressing the nation in a televised address on Sunday, 19 April 2020, Nana Akufo-Addo said: “I must make it clear, at the outset, that lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down. All other measures are still firmly in place. For the avoidance of doubt, the earlier measures announced on Wednesday, 15th March, which have been extended, are still very much in force, and have not been relaxed. I am demanding even greater adherence to these measures.
“In here, I am referring to the suspension of all public gatherings, including conferences, workshops, funerals, parties, nightclubs, drinking spots, beaches, festivals, political rallies, religious activities and sporting events. All educational facilities, private and public, are to remain closed. Businesses and other workplaces can continue to operate, observing staff management and workplace protocols with the view to achieving social distancing and hygiene protocols.
“Operators of public transport, including our buses, trotros and taxis, are to continue to run with a minimum number of passengers, as they have been doing for the last three weeks in maintaining social distancing. They must also continue to ensure the maintenance of enhanced hygienic conditions in all vehicles and terminals, by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands. Domestic airlines are required to adhere to the same protocols.â€
Nana Akufo-Addo added that “the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, together with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, will continue to implement measures to enhance conditions of hygiene in markets across the country, and expand the policy of alternate-days-for-alternative-products to improve social distancing in all markets.â€
Explaining why he lifted the ban on movement of persons, the President said the country now has the ability to undertake aggressive contact tracing of infected persons, the enhancement of our capacity to test, the expansion in the numbers of our treatment and isolation centres, the better understanding of the dynamism of the virus, the ramping up of domestic capacity to produce our own personal protective equipment, sanitisers and medicines, the modest successes chalked at containing the spread of the virus in Accra and Kumasi, and the severe impact on the poor and vulnerable.
Ben Nunoo Mensah, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) has appealed to national athletes preparing for the ?2020 Tokyo? Olympic Games to ensure a fair balance between training and rest periods during the Coronavirus pandemic.
He urged the athletes and coaches to take their time in the lockdown period to plan, strategize and reschedule their training programmes as there was no competition anywhere in the world.
“Athletes can take a break during this lockdown period and come back in full strength, but they must also bear in mind that there is no time for the resumption of activities.
“With this, you must not completely suspend training, though you can take a good rest during this period,†he said.
“The Government had suspended all activities including sports, whilst the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has also postponed the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
According to the GOC boss who is also president of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation (GWF), it was very sad that the pandemic had interrupted every activity in the world, killing thousands of people all over the world.
He said the IOC and the GOC value human lives and that is why there was massive support for the postponement of the Games.
He said every misfortune is a blessing, so people should not panic or have fears, but go by the health and safety guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Ministry of Health and other health experts.
He urged Ghanaians to obey the order of President Nana Akufo-Addo to stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus also known as COVID-19.
