Barcelona, with streets emptied due to coronavirus
Barcelona, with streets emptied due to coronavirusReuters

Citizens have been obliged to stay home in Austria, Belgium, Britain, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania and Spain, except for medical attention, exercise or essential shopping.

In Spain confinement has been extended to April 11 and in Austria to April 13.

France is expected to announce an extension of the confinement in place since March 17 after scientists advised the period should last until April 28.

The German regional states of Bavaria and Saarland are contained. Other Germans have been urged, but not obliged, to stay home.

Russians have been called on to stay at home and will have next week off work.

Romania has declared a state of emergency, as has Portugal which has also asked citizens to stay at home.

A curfew is in place in Serbia.

Finland will impose isolation on its capital and its province from Friday to April 19.

Borders

The European Union imposed on March 17 an entry ban on travelers from outside the bloc for an initial period of 30 days, with limited exceptions.

Hungary and Spain have closed their land borders.

Poland on Wednesday extended the closure of its borders to April 13.

Turkey has closed its borders with Greece and Bulgaria.

Germany has stepped up border controls with several countries, including France, which has reciprocated.

Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia have closed their borders to foreigners, with Slovakia excepting Poles.

Russia has closed its land borders with Norway and Poland.

Austria has closed its border with Italy and Switzerland.

Schools

Schools have been closed in Austria, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine. In Sweden high schools and
universities are closed.

Public gatherings

Countries have set widely different caps on the number of people who can get together. In Belgium, Cyprus, France and Italy all gatherings are banned. In France this applies to all religious gatherings scheduled for April, including the Christian holiday of Easter, Passover, and the beginning of Ramadan.

Britain, Germany and Poland have banned public gatherings of more than two people. Sweden has only banned gatherings of more than 500 people.

The Vatican decreed that Easter will be celebrated by Catholics without worshipers gathering and such rituals as processions.

Austria, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Ukraine have closed all places admitting the public. Non-essential shops are closed in Andorra, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. Russia has closed fitness clubs and swimming pools and Moscow is closing cafes and non-essential shops starting Saturday.

Cafes, bars and restaurants are closed in many countries.

Air travel and public transportation

British airlines have grounded most of their fleet.

France has massively reduced long-distance transport with rail travel as of Friday slashed to seven percent of traffic and two of Paris' main airports to close.

Public transport has been reduced in London, Luxembourg and Paris.

In Ukraine, trips between towns by bus, train and plane are banned and the
underground is closed.

Austria's air travel is near zero and it has drastically reduced rail travel. Poland has suspended international air and rail traffic.

Russia will halt all international flights from Friday, with the exception of special flights evacuating Russian citizens from abroad.

Turkey has drastically cut international air links.