Countries across Europe are coming out of lockdown today as cafes and bars reopen on the continent. Germans flocked to reopened beer gardens today to enjoy steins of lager, while Spaniards returned to outdoor bars for the first time in more than two months. Italy has also reopened restaurants, cafes, shops and bars today just weeks after coronavirus ravaged the country, leaving more than 32,000 people dead. Italian hairdressers and have taken precautions by blocking off some of their seats to ensure social distancing, while staff and customers wear protective masks. It comes after beaches reopened across the continent, with crowds of sunbathers pictured on packed beaches in Athens, Greece. Over the weekend the daily death toll from Covid-19 dropped to its lowest level since March in both Italy and Spain. The consistent fall in both death and infection rates has prompted politicians to begin easing strict lockdown restrictions, reuniting families and friends for the first time in months. In Italy just 145 deaths were recorded yesterday, allowing most businesses to reopen today. Only 87 coronavirus fatalities were seen yesterday in Spain, where people living outside Madrid and Barcelona can now meet in groups of up to 10. Outdoor bars and restaurants, and cinemas, museums and theatres also opened at reduced capacity. The easing of gathering restrictions means Serie A and La Liga teams have resumed group training. France is set to open more schools and most shops and residents will be allowed to take 100km car journeys with no permit. In Belgium, which has the world’s highest coronavirus mortality rate, primary and secondary schools restarted for selected year groups. Denmark and Portugal also allowed bars and restaurants to reopen. Good weather on the continent over the last few days has seen thousands flock to parks and beaches. The approach of the summer holiday season is forcing politicians to balance the risk of a second epidemic against economic survival. Tourism makes up a huge part of the GDP of countries including Italy, Spain and Greece. Spain is aiming to reopen its borders to tourists around the end of June, when a two-week quarantine will be phased out.
