Italy's easing, Belgium to reopen shops: COVID-19 daily bulletin

TOP HEADLINES

• **Germany's partial lockdown measures could last until Spring 2021 **if the current surge in infectionsdoesn't slow,according to the country's economy minister Peter Altmaier.

• UK cabinet minister MichaelGove has backed the decision toimplementstricter tieredrules in England , sayingthat without them everyhospitalcould be overwhelmed.

• **Hungary is to source doses of the Russian Sputnik vaccine, sparking criticism from across the EU. **The EU has previously warned against ordering drugs that are not approved by the union.

• Germany's new infections rose by 21,695 in the past 24 hours . Deaths also rose by 379, to 15,965.

• Hundreds of members of Germany's far-right political party AfD are due to meet on Saturday for a congress, sparking worry among authorities that there could be an outbreak of cases as a result.

• The CEO of the UK's National Health Service (NHS) Providers has urged the government to "take the precautions now to ensure that the NHS doesn't get overwhelmed," during January, which is traditionally the busiest time of the year for the NHS.

• Belgium is to reopen shops from Tuesday but the country's semi-lockdown will remain in place for now because it's "important to keep a lid on things," Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said.

• Five of Italy's regions, including the epicentre of the first wave of the virus, **Lombardy, **will have their restrictions eased from Sunday.

• **Spanish football club, Barcelona has reached an agreement with representatives of their players and coaching staff for temporary cuts in salaries **due to the financial impact of the pandemic.

• Ireland will allow shops, restaurants, gyms and pubs serving food to reopen next week and permit all travel within the country from December 18 to facilitate a "different but special"Christmas.

• Moscow has opened a 20,500 square-meter ice skating rink - the biggestartificial rink in Europe , that will operate incompliance withpandemic safety measures.

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ACROSS EUROPE

Stefan de Vries in Amsterdam

Shopping areas of a number of big cities were jam-packed on Black Friday. In Rotterdam, it was even so busy that the Mayor decided to close all shops in the city centre, while a drone urged visitors to go home.

On Saturday, Amsterdam warned of busy crowds expected in the city and invited shoppers to stay away.

On Friday, there were 5,790 positive COVID-19 tests, more than the average of the last seven days (5,101). The number of people in hospitals slightly decreased to 1,769, 12 less than a day earlier.

In his weekly press conference, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the numbers did not give reason to be optimistic. He does not think that the current rules can be relaxed at Christmas.

The government is due to announce new measures on December 8.

Belgium

Belgium is to reopen shops from Tuesday (December 1) while bars, restaurants, hairdressers, sports and cultural centres will remain closed, the country's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said.

Warning that leisure shopping should remain out of the picture, De Croo said that the reopening of non-essential shops was "on one condition - that it is done responsibly and in a safe manner."

Belgian households will only be able to be in close contact with one additional person over Christmas, while people living on their own will be able to meet two others.

Deaths in Belgium has reached 16,219 in a country of 11 million people, Europe's highest rate per capita of confirmed fatalities.

Belgium is to reopen shops from Tuesday (December 1) while bars, restaurants, hairdressers, sports and cultural centres will remain closed. /AP

Hungary

Hungary hopes to receive it first small batches of the Russian Sputnik vaccine in December and larger supplies in late January, the country'sForeign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.

Despite the government facingcriticism from the EU, which has opposed ordering doses of a vaccine not approved by the union, Hungary is also looking toorganize production of the vaccine within the country.

"We would be glad if it happens. Companies say it may take up to 18 months to introduce the Russian vaccine production technologies,"Szijjarto added.

"We will see if this period could be shortened. If it really takes so much time, naturally, it will be non-competitive. In this case we will have to focus only on purchases,"he added.

UK

More than 1,300 people in Britain werewrongly informed they were infected with COVID-19 after a laboratoryerror at the government's NHS Test and Trace system.

"NHS Test and Trace has contacted 1,311 individuals who were incorrectly told that the result of COVID-19 tests, taken between November 19 and November 23, were positive. An issue with a batch of testing chemicals meant their test results were void,"a health departmentspokesman said.

"Swift action was taken to notify those affected and they have been asked to take another test, and to continue to self-isolate if they have symptoms," the spokesman added.

MeanwhileUK cabinet minister MichaelGove has backed the decision toimplementstrict tieredrestrictions in England when the current lockdown finishes next week, sayingthat without them everyhospitalcould be overwhelmed.

Moscow has opened a 20,500 square-meter ice skating rink - the biggest artificial rink in Europe. /AP

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