The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with…
The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
TOP OF THE HOUR:
South Korea nightclub cases highlight fear of virus 2nd wave.
— Dutch schools welcome back students.
— Greece enters its second phase of lifting lockdown measures.
— Czech Republic loosens more erstrictions.
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AMSTERDAM — Dutch elementary schools are welcoming back students who had been forced to stay home for two months as part of measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Schools, libraries and businesses such as hairdressers were allowed to reopen Monday in the Netherlands on condition that they take measures to enforce social distancing.
Some hairdressers opened their doors at midnight to welcome customers desperate for a trim.
Antoinette van Zalinge, principal of the public elementary school De Notenkraker in Amsterdam, dressed up to welcome back students who walked over a red carpet to get back to their classes.
Van Zalinge wore a wide white skirt and a hula hoop slung from her shoulders by red and white tape and carried a long stick with a hand at one end so she could shake hands with students while maintaining the government-mandated 1.5-meter (5-foot) social distancing.
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ATHENS, Greece — Greece has entered the second phase in lifting its lockdown, with all remaining retail stores that had been shut down in March allowed to reopen and the final grade of high school resuming classes.
Shopping malls and department stores remain shut, while some businesses such as electronics stores and opticians were included in the first phase of reopening. All other retail businesses, including clothing, hardware and beauty product stores, were reopening Monday morning, with social distancing measures applying to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Stores must limit the number of customers inside at any one time depending on the size of the property. Students preparing to take university entrance exams this year returned to class, while other junior high and senior high school students return next week.
Greece imposed a lockdown early in its outbreak, a move that has been credited with keeping the number of deaths and crucially ill at low levels. On Sunday, health authorities announced zero new deaths and just six new confirmed infections, bringing the death toll over 150 and the confirmed infections to more than 2,700 in the country of nearly 11 million.
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PRAGUE — The Czech Republic is taking a step to normalcy amid the coronavirus pandemic by easing more restrictions adopted by the government to contain it.
The shopping malls, hairdressers and beauty parlours are allowed to return to business on Monday under strict conditions.
