European nations to slowly lift COVID-19 lockdown as daily death tolls drop

LONDON: European nations, that were once hit hard by the coronavirus, have begun preparing for a slow lifting of lockdowns as the continent saw drops in daily death tolls and slowing infection rates of the coronavirus epidemic.

Hard-hot Europe accounts for almost two-thirds of the nearly 165,000 fatalities reported across the globe out of more than 2.3 million declared infections. Spain has extended a nationwide shutdown but it would ease restrictions to allow children time outside. Switzerland, Denmark, and Finland all began reopening shops and schools.