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PreviewAdvancedSpecial charactersHelpHeadingLevel 2Level 3Level 4Level 5FormatInsertLatinLatin extendedIPASymbolsGreekGreek extendedCyrillicArabicArabic extendedHebrewBanglaTamilTeluguSinhalaDevanagariGujaratiThaiLaoKhmerCanadian AboriginalRunesÁáÀàÂâÄäÃãǍǎĀāĂ㥹ÅåĆćĈĉÇçČčĊċĐđĎďÉéÈèÊêËëĚěĒēĔĕĖėĘęĜĝĢģĞğĠġĤĥĦħÍíÌìÎîÏïĨĩǏǐĪīĬĭİıĮįĴĵĶķĹĺĻļĽľŁłŃńÑñŅņŇňÓóÒòÔôÖöÕõǑǒŌōŎŏǪǫŐőŔŕŖŗŘřŚśŜŝŞşŠšȘșȚțŤťÚúÙùÛûÜüŨũŮůǓǔŪūǖǘǚǜŬŭŲųŰűŴŵÝýŶŷŸÿȲȳŹźŽžŻżÆæǢǣØøŒœßÐðÞþƏəFormattingLinksHeadingsListsFilesDiscussionReferencesDescriptionWhat you typeWhat you getItalic''Italic text''Italic textBold'''Bold text'''Bold textBold & italic'''''Bold & italic text'''''Bold & italic textDescriptionWhat you typeWhat you getReferencePage text.<ref>[https://www.example.org/ Link text], additional text.</ref>Page text.[1]Named referencePage text.<ref name="test">[https://www.example.org/ Link text]</ref>Page text.[2]Additional use of the same referencePage text.<ref name="test" />Page text.[2]Display references<references />↑ Link text, additional text.↑ Link text=== Europe === {{Main|COVID-19 pandemic in Europe}} [[File:Persons died due to coronavirus COVID-19 per capita in Europe.svg|upright=1.35|thumb|Deaths per 100,000 residents]] The COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Europe with its first confirmed case in [[Bordeaux]], [[COVID-19 pandemic in France|France]], on 24 January 2020, and subsequently spread widely across the continent. By 17 March 2020, every country in Europe had confirmed a case,<ref>{{#invoke:cite tweet ||author=Government of Montenegro |author-link=Government of Montenegro |user=MeGovernment |number=1239992049350447104 |date=17 March 2020 |title=PM @DuskoMarkovicCG: #Montenegro confirmes first two #COVID19 cases #CoronaInfoCG https://t.co/Jxkrm4AMwK |access-date=8 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512133308/https://twitter.com/MeGovernment/status/1239992049350447104 |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> and all had reported at least one death, with the exception of [[COVID-19 pandemic in Vatican City|Vatican City]]. Italy was the first European nation to experience a major outbreak in early 2020, becoming the first country worldwide to introduce a national [[COVID-19 lockdowns in Italy|lockdown]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite journal || vauthors = Saglietto A, D'Ascenzo F, Zoccai GB, De Ferrari GM | title = COVID-19 in Europe: the Italian lesson | journal = Lancet | volume = 395 | issue = 10230 | pages = 1110–1111 | date = April 2020 | pmid = 32220279 | pmc = 7118630 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30690-5 }}</ref> By 13 March 2020, the [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) declared Europe the epicentre of the pandemic<ref>{{#invoke:cite web|| vauthors = Nebehay S |date=13 March 2020|title=Europe is epicenter of coronavirus pandemic: WHO|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who/europe-is-epicenter-of-coronavirus-pandemic-who-idUSKBN2102Q0|work=Reuters|access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite web||date=13 March 2020|title=Coronavirus: Europe now epicentre of the pandemic, says WHO|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51876784|publisher=BBC|access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref> and it remained so until the WHO announced it had been overtaken by [[COVID-19 pandemic in South America|South America]] on 22 May.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news|| vauthors = Feuer W |date=22 May 2020|title=South America is a 'new epicenter' of the coronavirus pandemic, WHO says|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/22/south-america-is-a-new-epicenter-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-who-says.html}}</ref> By 18 March 2020, more than 250 million people were in [[Stay-at-home order|lockdown]] in Europe.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news|| vauthors = Henley J |date=18 March 2020|title=More than 250m in lockdown in EU as Belgium and Germany adopt measures|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/18/coronavirus-lockdown-eu-belgium-germany-adopt-measures|url-status=live|access-date=4 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401085742/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/18/coronavirus-lockdown-eu-belgium-germany-adopt-measures|archive-date=1 April 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Despite [[deployment of COVID-19 vaccines]], Europe became the pandemic's epicentre once again in late 2021.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||title=COVID-19's epicentre again: Europe faces fresh reckoning|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/12/covid-19s-epicentre-again-europe-faces-fresh-reckoning|access-date=19 November 2021|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=With Covid cases rising, Europe is back at the epicenter of the pandemic |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/who-says-europe-back-epicenter-covid-pandemic-despite-vaccines-n1283263 |website=NBC News |date=4 November 2021 |access-date=15 January 2022 }}</ref> The [[COVID-19 pandemic in Italy|Italian outbreak]] began on 31 January 2020, when two Chinese tourists tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Rome.<ref name="Corriere_20Jan">{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Severgnini |first1=Chiara |title=Coronavirus, primi due casi in Italia: sono due turisti cinesi |url=https://www.corriere.it/cronache/20_gennaio_30/coronavirus-italia-corona-9d6dc436-4343-11ea-bdc8-faf1f56f19b7.shtml |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=Corriere della Sera |date=30 January 2020 |language=it}}</ref> Cases began to rise sharply, which prompted the government to suspend flights to and from China and declare a state of emergency.<ref name="thelocal-flight" /> On 22 February 2020, the Council of Ministers announced a new decree-law to contain the outbreak, which quarantined more than 50,000 people in northern Italy.<ref name="AutoDW-201" /> On 4 March, the Italian government ordered schools and universities closed as Italy reached a hundred deaths. Sport was suspended completely for at least one month.<ref name="Kv4Ld" /><!-- We should summarise restrictions generally for Europe as a continent, not for various individual countries. At a high level, restrictions can be categorised into broadly similar groups. --> On 11 March, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte closed down nearly all commercial activity except supermarkets and pharmacies.<ref name="To26Y" /><ref name="ClzT6" /> On 19 April, the first wave ebbed, as 7-day deaths declined to 433.<ref name="thehill493586">{{#invoke:cite web || vauthors = Coleman J |title=Italy sees fewest coronavirus deaths in a week |url=https://thehill.com/policy/international/europe/493586-italy-sees-fewest-coronavirus-deaths-in-a-week |website=The Hill |access-date=20 April 2020 |date=19 April 2020 }}</ref> On 13 October, the Italian government again issued restrictive rules to contain the second wave.<ref name="KhaW7">{{#invoke:cite news ||title=Conte firma il dpcm: stop a movida e gite, niente didattica a distanza |url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2020/10/12/coronavirus-conte-dpcm-nuove-misure-anti-covid-stretta_f39a3a5d-1412-48eb-9e73-c2c0009fd90b.html |access-date=13 October 2020 |agency=ansa.it |date=13 October 2020}}</ref> On 10 November, Italy surpassed 1 million confirmed infections.<ref name="8XEwk">{{#invoke:cite web || title=Italy passes 1 million Covid-19 cases, France overtakes Russia |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3109462/coronavirus-italy-passes-1-million-cases-joining-10-worst-hit |website=South China Morning Post |access-date=13 November 2020 |date=12 November 2020}}</ref> On 23 November, it was reported that the second wave of the virus had led some hospitals to stop accepting patients.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web || title=Coronavirus: Clinics in Naples, Italy, on the brink of collapse | date=23 November 2020 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-clinics-in-naples-italy-on-the-brink-of-collapse/a-55703503 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |access-date=25 November 2020}}</ref> [[File:2020 12 27 mas vacunados en la residencia mixta 1 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Vaccinations at a [[retirement home]] in [[Gijón]], Spain, in December 2020|alt=Elderly woman rolls up sleeve as two nurses administer a vaccine.]] The virus was first confirmed to have spread to Spain on 31 January 2020, when a German tourist tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on [[La Gomera]] in the Canary Islands.<ref name="SanidadConfirmaEnLaGomera">{{#invoke:cite news||title=Sanidad confirma en La Gomera el primer caso de coronavirus en España|url=https://elpais.com/sociedad/2020/01/31/actualidad/1580509404_469734.html|website=[[El Pais]]|access-date=31 January 2020|date=31 January 2020|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131225909/https://elpais.com/sociedad/2020/01/31/actualidad/1580509404_469734.html|archive-date=31 January 2020|url-status=live | vauthors = Linde P }}</ref> Post-hoc genetic analysis has shown that at least 15 strains of the virus had been imported, and [[community transmission]] began by mid-February.<ref name="genetic analysis">{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Ansede M |title=El análisis genético sugiere que el coronavirus ya circulaba por España a mediados de febrero |url=https://elpais.com/ciencia/2020-04-22/el-analisis-genetico-sugiere-que-el-coronavirus-ya-circulaba-por-espana-a-mediados-de-febrero.html |access-date=23 April 2020 |work=El País |date=22 April 2020 |language=es}}</ref> On 29 March, it was announced that, beginning the following day, all non-essential workers were ordered to remain at home for the next 14 days.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web||url=https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/spain-poised-to-tighten-coronavirus-lockdown-after-record-daily-toll/ar-BB11S9Gj|title=Spain poised to tighten coronavirus lockdown after record daily toll|publisher=MSN|access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref> The number of cases increased again in July in a number of cities including [[Barcelona]], [[Zaragoza]] and [[Madrid]], which led to reimposition of some restrictions but no national lockdown.<ref name=bbc25july>{{#invoke:cite news ||url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53539015 |title=Coronavirus: Spain drives fears of European 'second wave' |date=25 July 2020 |publisher=BBC }}</ref><ref name="elpais6aug">{{#invoke:cite news ||url=https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-08-06/spains-basque-region-admits-to-second-wave-of-covid-19.html |title=Spain's Basque region admits to second wave of Covid-19 |work=El País |date=6 August 2020 }}</ref><ref name="telegraph aug16">{{#invoke:cite news ||url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/14/spain-shuts-nightlife-amid-fears-major-second-wave-coronavirus/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/14/spain-shuts-nightlife-amid-fears-major-second-wave-coronavirus/ |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Spain shuts down nightlife amid fears of major second wave of coronavirus| vauthors = Badcock J |date=14 August 2020 |work=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/coronavirus/news/spain-wont-declare-another-national-state-of-alarm-allows-regions-to-lockdown-if-necessary/ |title=Spain won't declare another national state of alarm, allows regions to lockdown if necessary |date=26 August 2020 |work=Euroactiv }}</ref> By September 2021, Spain was one of the countries with the highest percentage of its population vaccinated (76% fully vaccinated and 79% with the first dose).<ref name="auto2">{{#invoke:cite journal|| vauthors = Ritchie H, Mathieu E, Rodés-Guirao L, Appel C, Giattino C, Ortiz-Ospina E, Hasell J, Macdonald B, Beltekian D, Roser M |date=5 March 2020|title=Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)|url=https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations|journal=Our World in Data}}</ref> Italy is ranked second at 75%.<ref name="auto2"/><!-- We should summarise vaccination status for Europe as a continent, not for dozens of individual countries. --> Sweden differed from most other European countries in that it mostly remained open.<ref name="NYT20200515">{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Leatherby L |title=Sweden Stayed Open. A Deadly Month Shows the Risks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/15/world/europe/sweden-coronavirus-deaths.html |access-date=18 May 2020 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=15 May 2020}}</ref> Per the [[Swedish constitution]], the [[Public Health Agency of Sweden]] has autonomy that prevents political interference and the agency favoured remaining open. The Swedish strategy focused on longer-term measures, based on the assumption that after lockdown the virus would resume spreading, with the same result.<ref name="7ys2k">{{#invoke:cite web || vauthors = Milne R |date=8 May 2020|title=Architect of Sweden's no-lockdown strategy insists it will pay off|url=https://www.ft.com/content/a2b4c18c-a5e8-4edc-8047-ade4a82a548d|access-date=16 August 2020|website=[[Financial Times]]}}</ref><ref name="I06mN">{{#invoke:cite web || title=Sverige diskuterar inte exitstrategier: "Vår strategi är hållbar, vi kan ligga kvar med den en väldigt lång tid"|url=https://svenska.yle.fi/artikel/2020/04/22/sverige-diskuterar-inte-exitstrategier-var-strategi-ar-hallbar-vi-kan-ligga-kvar|access-date=16 August 2020|website=svenska.yle.fi|language=sv-FI}}</ref> By the end of June, Sweden no longer had [[excess mortality]].<ref name="HEUrz">{{#invoke:cite web || title=Inte längre någon överdödlighet i Sverige|url=https://www.dagensmedicin.se/artiklar/2020/06/25/inte-langre-nagon-overdodlighet-i-sverige/|access-date=16 August 2020|website=Dagens Medicin|language=sv}}</ref> [[Devolution in the United Kingdom]] meant that each of its four [[Countries of the United Kingdom|countries]] developed its own response. England's restrictions were shorter-lived than the others.<ref name="8VnMf">{{#invoke:cite news ||url=https://www.economist.com/britain/2020/06/06/devolution-has-become-less-dysfunctional-during-the-pandemic |title=Ignore the squabbling Devolution has become less dysfunctional during the pandemic |newspaper=The Economist |date=6 June 2020 |access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref> The [[Government of the United Kingdom|UK government]] started enforcing social distancing and quarantine measures on 18 March 2020.<ref name="PkWGD" /><ref name="Pkx25" /> On 16 March, Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] advised against non-essential travel and social contact, praising [[Remote work|work from home]] and avoiding venues such as pubs, restaurants, and theatres.<ref name="5Q93q" /><ref name="hYdUy" /> On 20 March, the government ordered all leisure establishments to close,<ref name="dmBNt" /> and promised to prevent unemployment.<ref name="mV2p3" /> On 23 March, Johnson banned gatherings and restricted non-essential travel and outdoor activity. Unlike previous measures, these restrictions were enforceable by police through fines and dispersal of gatherings. Most non-essential businesses were ordered to close.<ref name="bbc-pm-2403" /> On 24 April 2020, it was reported that a promising vaccine trial had begun in England; the government pledged more than £50 million towards research.<ref name="vKeXC">{{#invoke:cite web || title=Large-scale human trial of potential COVID-19 vaccine kicks off at Oxford |date=24 April 2020 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-vaccine-covid-19-human-clinical-trial-oxford-england/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=24 April 2020}}</ref> On 16 April 2020, it was reported that the UK would have first access to the Oxford vaccine, due to a prior contract; should the trial be successful, some 30 million doses would be available.<ref name="Lbt4o">{{#invoke:cite web || title=Coronavirus updates: Texas reports single highest daily rate increase of infections |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/coronavirus-updates-texas-reports-single-highest-daily-rate-increase-of-infections/ar-BB14cpOY?ocid=spartan-dhp-feeds |publisher=MSN |access-date=17 May 2020}}</ref> On 2 December 2020, the UK became the first developed country to approve the Pfizer vaccine; 800,000 doses were immediately available for use.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Mueller B |title=U.K. Approves Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine, a First in the West |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/world/europe/pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine-approved-uk.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=2 December 2020 |date=2 December 2020}}</ref> In August 2022 it was reported that viral infection cases had declined in the UK.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, UK: 19 August 2022|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/19august2022 |publisher=UK Office for National Statistics |access-date=6 July 2023 |date=19 August 2022}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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