Italy And Germany Extend Lockdowns As Coronavirus Cases Spiral

<p><em>Italy and Germany&comma; major countries in Europe have extended lockdowns as a result of spread of coronavirus cases<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">OpenLife Nigeria<&sol;a><&sol;strong> reports that Italy and Germany have considered extending lockdown in their respective countries&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Italy and <strong>Germany<&sol;strong> were both part of the Triple Alliance but they became enemies during World War I&period; Germany has an embassy in Rome and consulates in Milan and Naples&comma; while Italy has an embassy in Berlin and consulates in Frankfurt&comma;<br &sol;>&NewLine;According to available information&comma; Italy&&num;8217&semi;s government announced on Tuesday that most of the coronavirus restrictions imposed in the country during the <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">Christmas<&sol;a> break would be extended until January 15&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;People in Italy will be allowed to visit friends only once a day&comma; in meetings capped at a maximum of two adults&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;And according to a new government decree&comma; travel between regions will be forbidden except for health or work reasons&period; Restrictions have also been imposed on the hospitality industry&comma; with bars and restaurants only permitted to provide takeaway services&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Similarly&comma; Germany&&num;8217&semi;s government announced Tuesday it will extend the country&&num;8217&semi;s national lockdown &&num;8212&semi; which had been due to end on January 10 &&num;8212&semi; until the end of the month and will tighten restrictions on movement&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8220&semi;We will have to harden measures&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Chancellor Angela Merkel told journalists following a meeting with Germany&&num;8217&semi;s 16 regional leaders in Berlin&comma; warning that hospitals across the country were already overwhelmed&comma; particularly intensive care units&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Under the new measures&comma; all non-essential stores&comma; restaurants&comma; schools and nurseries will be required to remain shut&period; People will only be permitted to meet one other person outside of their own home&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8220&semi;We need to restrict contact more strictly&&num;8230&semi;we ask all citizens to restrict contact to the absolute minimum&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Merkel said&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;And in Greece&comma; the <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">government<&sol;a> has imposed a strict &&num;8212&semi; but brief &&num;8212&semi; lockdown&comma; from January 3 until 6 a&period;m&period; on January 11&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8220&semi;Covid-19 cases are still high and the pressure on the national health system continues&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said in a press briefing on January 2&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8220&semi;We stay home for these few days&comma; and on January 11 we return to the current situation with our schools open&period;&&num;8221&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Schools shut their doors<br &sol;>&NewLine;At the heart of many of Europe&&num;8217&semi;s restrictions are school closures&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;