ZPP Newsletter
Warsaw, 26th November 2020
Comparison of European lockdown policies
The Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers hereby presents a comparison of European lockdown policies. In our latest study, Union experts analysed the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic put in place by ten European countries. To assess the restrictiveness of the introduced measures, we took into account the following: the possibility of movement and the functioning of schools, shops, services, restaurants, hotels and culture.
There are some basic conclusions from our data analysis. Firstly, the industry revolving around culture will be hit hardest by the pandemic – 7 of the countries surveyed closed cinemas, museums and theatres altogether, while the rest introduced considerable restrictions. The next most affected sector will be the food catering industry – 8 out of 10 countries surveyed allow only take-away operations.
Secondly, during the second wave of the pandemic, we have observed a shift in attitudes towards education. In the spring, we saw school closings on a mass scale. Presently, school closings seem to be kept to a minimum. Austria introduced the most restrictive measures, as all schools are officially closed although still offer childcare to those who need it. Second in this group comes Poland where only kindergartens operate relatively normally. The third is the Czech Republic where only the first two grades of primary schools are open. Italy and Belgium introduced a mixed system, while schools remain open in several countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Thirdly, the ability to purchase non-basic products has been severely restricted. In Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Great Britain as well as the medium- and high-risk provinces of Italy, one will only purchase basic essentials. On the other hand, in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and in low-risk Italian provinces, all types of commercial activity are allowed under the appropriate sanitary regime. Meanwhile, Poland’s approach can be described as mixed – stores selling irrelevant products located in malls and furniture stores are closed. Despite these restrictions, one can still buy non-essential products in stores outside of shopping centres.
Fourth, many of the countries surveyed introduced significant restrictions on services, in particular on services that require direct customer contact, such as hairdressing. In half of the countries surveyed, these services are completely closed. Countries that kept the service sector fully open are in the minority – 3 out of 10. Poland again has a mixed approach – services such as hairdressing and cosmetology remain open, while the activity of the fitness sector was limited.
As the data above shows, there are large discrepancies between measures introduced by different countries. As countries apply restrictions in various configurations, one cannot compare their stringency with great accuracy. Nevertheless, a comparison of European lockdown policies proves that the restrictions introduced in Poland are relatively mild. This is especially evident in the scope of restrictions on movement – Poland, unlike 7 other surveyed countries, did not introduce a curfew or a general restriction on movement.
See: 26.11.2020 Comparison of European lockdown policies
Fot. Glen Carrie / Unsplash.com
