US President Donald Trump had to surrender to the evidence: the coronavirus also threatens the US, where the infected are increasing day by day. So, after WHO officially declared the state of pandemic, Trump (who however continues to refuse to undergo the swab, as a precaution) has taken the first drastic measure: he announced the suspension of all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days, in an attempt to curb the spread of the dreaded virus, which in the meantime has hit the sports world (first case in the NBA and tournament immediately suspended) and caused the cancellation of a historic event such as the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York, scheduled for March 17 and canceled for the first time in over 250 years.
"We made a life-saving move with China, now we have to take the same action with Europe, which has been slow to react," said the tycoon. Paradoxical, considering that he himself had been among the first to minimize, until a few days ago, the seriousness of the situation. The provision, Trump specified, does not concern the United Kingdom (which in effect is no longer Europe politically, but geographically yes) and commercial cargo. The White House tenant also pledged emergency action to provide financial aid to workers who are sick, in quarantine or caring for others who are infected. Trump's statements have not at all calmed the markets, however: the indices have lost 20% from the highs of recent weeks, only yesterday Dow Jones -5,86%, S&P 500 -4,89%. NASDAQ -4,7%.
EUROPA
Even in Europe the tension rises. Even before Trump decided to suspend air connections with Europe, Spain, France and Portugal had done the same towards Italy, while Austria and Slovenia closed their land borders (at the Brenner there are trucks queuing for 50 km , with risk of tension). Also different the individual companies that have canceled flights to Italy and beyond: British Airways, EasyJet, Wizzair Ryanair (from tomorrow, Friday 13 March, and until 9 April), Swissair, Iberia, and Lufthansa (and its subsidiaries, such as Brussels Airlines) which has canceled 23.000 flights between now and April 24th. Alitalia itself, since 9 March, has canceled about sixty flights a day to Linate and Malpensa. Stop to civilian flights also from Ciampino, starting from Friday 13.
As regards the strategies to be adopted at European level and in individual countries, the situation continues to be confused. Yesterday the president of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen broadcast a video message in which she supports - speaking in Italian - Italy and announcing a European plan worth 25 billion. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke of possible contagion for 60-70% of Germans (that is, about fifty million people…). In Spain and the United Kingdom there is still an apparent calm, although in the Iberian country the infected have more than doubled in the last 48 hours: the Sanchez government has taken few measures, still partial and limited to some regions, combined with a generic appeal to "individual responsibility".
It has been decided to close schools but only in Madrid (half of the people who tested positive are there), Vitoria and La Rioja. Activities or demonstrations that bring together more than a thousand people are prohibited and minor football leagues are suspended (but the first two divisions of La Liga continue, albeit behind closed doors for the next two weeks). Even more worrying is the situation France, now the second European country with the most cases of coronavirus after Italy. On Thursday evening at 20:00, President Emmanuel Macron will speak on live TV, to announce what the French call "phase 3" of the emergency: to tell the truth, there is little trace of the first two phases, given that the schools have been closed only in outbreaks and that we continue to work. What transpires is that the measures will not be like those in Italy, and that they will only start from next week.
CHINA
Instead, China sees the end of the nightmare: after reaching 80.793 infections and 3.169 deaths, Beijing has officially announced that considers the peak of transmission of infections to be passed. A head of the health authorities told the official agency Xinhua. In fact, the number of infections continues to visibly drop, even in Wuhan, where the positive record was recorded on Wednesday with only 8 infections. Counting the whole country, there were only 15 cases of coronavirus infection, and 11 new victims.
