The Economist Continental Europe Edition May 2, 2020

Politics Spain announced a complicated four-phase, eight-week return to a “new normality”, which will vary in speed between provinces. If all goes well, Spaniards will be able to return to beaches and bars by the end of June, and in some places before then. France also outlined its own “deconfinement” strategy. Most businesses will be allowed to reopen from May 11th, except for cafés, restaurants and large public spaces such as museums; public transport will largely resume too. The French prime minister said this was necessary to avoid economic collapse. France also suffered some alarming instances of rioting. The chief executive of Heathrow called for the mandatory testing of passengers for covid-19 at airports in Britain, because travellers are currently allowed to enter the country “without visible measures in place”.…

The WHO asked states not to issue immunity passports. It said there was insufficient evidence that exposure to the virus confers immunity. Singapore reported another surge in cases; it is now one of the worst-hit countries in Asia, after Iran, China, Pakistan and India. South Korea reported no new domestic infections. In Wuhan officials said no more patients with the disease were being treated in the city’s hospitals. A team that had been deployed to the city to oversee its fight against the outbreak returned to Beijing. Australia called for an international inquiry into the origins of the disease. China warned it not to. Boris Johnson returned to work, three weeks after being admitted to intensive care and a period of convalescence. The British prime minister’s fiancée gave birth to a son. For our latest…

Politics Spain announced a complicated four-phase, eight-week return to a “new normality”, which will vary in speed between provinces. If all goes well, Spaniards will be able to return to beaches and bars by the end of June, and in some places before then. France also outlined its own “deconfinement” strategy. Most businesses will be allowed to reopen from May 11th, except for cafés, restaurants and large public spaces such as museums; public transport will largely resume too. The French prime minister said this was necessary to avoid economic collapse. France also suffered some alarming instances of rioting. The chief executive of Heathrow called for the mandatory testing of passengers for covid-19 at airports in Britain, because travellers are currently allowed to enter the country “without visible measures in place”. Britain is…

The WHO asked states not to issue immunity passports. It said there was insufficient evidence that exposure to the virus confers immunity. Singapore reported another surge in cases; it is now one of the worst-hit countries in Asia, after Iran, China, Pakistan and India. South Korea reported no new domestic infections. In Wuhan officials said no more patients with the disease were being treated in the city’s hospitals. A team that had been deployed to the city to oversee its fight against the outbreak returned to Beijing. Australia called for an international inquiry into the origins of the disease. China warned it not to. Boris Johnson returned to work, three weeks after being admitted to intensive care and a period of convalescence. The British prime minister’s fiancée gave birth to…

IN MANY THINGS 90% is just fine; in an economy it is miserable, and China shows why. The country started to end its lockdown in February. Factories are busy and the streets are no longer empty. The result is the 90% economy. It is better than a severe lock-down, but it is far from normal. The missing bits include large chunks of everyday life. Rides on the metro and on domestic flights are down by a third. Discretionary consumer spending, on such things as restaurants, has fallen by 40% and hotel stays are a third of normal. People are weighed down by financial hardship and the fear of a second wave of covid-19. Bankruptcies are rising and unemployment, one broker has said, is three times the official level, at around…

IN MANY THINGS 90% is just fine; in an economy it is miserable, and China shows why. The country started to end its lockdown in February. Factories are busy and the streets are no longer empty. The result is the 90% economy. It is better than a severe lock-down, but it is far from normal. The missing bits include large chunks of everyday life. Rides on the metro and on domestic flights are down by a third. Discretionary consumer spending, on such things as restaurants, has fallen by 40% and hotel stays are a third of normal. People are weighed down by financial hardship and the fear of a second wave of covid-19. Bankruptcies are rising and unemployment, one broker has said, is three times the official level, at around…