Coronavirus in the world - read the bloggers' reports

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How is the coronavirus situation in the world? Like most people these days, we are following the news reports on the coronavirus in various media. We also follow blogs, and we have to say that sometimes it is particularly interesting to get those everyday glimpses from around the world.

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How is the coronavirus situation in the world?

When we talk about the coronavirus situation in the world, it is no longer just about the number of infected and dead people. It's also about restrictions, quarantine, border closures, economic difficulties and the rules that apply from one day to the next.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently advises against non-essential travel to all countries, which of course means avoiding all trips abroad that are only for pleasure. Despite this, many Swedes are of course in other countries, perhaps because they live there or are on trips that started long before the advisory.

Coronavirus situation in the world - via social media

In several Facebook groups, we have read about Swedish motorhome drivers who are in southern Europe, or who are on their way up to Sweden. Right now, many are worried about closed borders. We also follow several bloggers around the world. We will start with the border issue and continue with the bloggers' reports.

Travelling through Europe - closed borders?

Many Swedish motorhome drivers have rushed up to Sweden to get home before the borders close. Among others, the bloggers Motorhome criss-cross and Lisa's wheelhouse through Germany before the borders were closed.

Denmark has closed its borders, but is letting Swedes go home. Poland, Germany and France have also closed their borders, and perhaps more. The information about what applies to Swedes who want to cross back to Sweden through Germany is a little unclear.

We have heard on Facebook about several people who have been able to pass without problems, but in these times it is difficult to be sure of what is happening, as everything changes quickly. Please let us know if you know more!

Sweden

We start by reporting from Sweden! Here in Sweden we are talking about all about corona. It's almost like it's hard to have other conversations, because everything has somehow become unimportant in the shadow of what this virus is doing.

Events with more than 500 participants are prohibited and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against non-essential travel to all countries. People are hoarding food and toilet paper and shop shelves are empty here and there. The photos are from our Sunday edition.

Finland

Maria, with the blog Maria's Memoirs, lives in Finland. She says that they are now talking about a state of emergency in Finland. All non-essential travel abroad is being discouraged, many activities are being cancelled and even schools have been warned to close.

Spain

The Spanish Prime Minister declared a national emergency on 14 March. This means, among other things, that people can only go out to run essential errands, such as shopping for food, visiting health centres, going to work, caring for the needy, visiting the bank and in emergencies. Schools, restaurants, bars, museums and entertainment centres are closed for at least two weeks. We know of several bloggers who live, spend the winter months or travel in Spain. You can read what they write here:

Annika, with the blog Casa Annika, who lives in Spain, says that many people have panicked and rushed to supermarkets to stock up. She also says that the military has been patrolling the streets and urging people to stay indoors, and that TV is urging those who have stocked up on hand sanitiser and face masks to return them.

Britt-Marie and Lars, with the blog bm.lars.travelblog writes that one reason for the Spanish "house arrest" is that many people have left the crisis zone of Madrid and travelled to their holiday homes on the coast, bringing the infection with them.

Margareta and Ingemar, with the blog Pensioners' will(l)an are on the ground in the neighbourhood of Torrevieja. They report that a car has been driving around with loudspeakers informing everyone to stay at home. They also say that you have to keep your distance in the shops and that only one member of the family is allowed to shop.

Lena in Wales, who also spends a lot of time in Spain, writes that museums, monuments, bars and restaurants are closing, but it is different in different regions. She describes how she had to search two shops to find toilet paper.

Blogger Ama de Casa tells us that you can be fined for "pleasure walking" and that playgrounds are closed. She also confirms that the shelves of some shops in the city centre are empty. Torrevieja. Check out these pictures and you'll see.

Elisabet and Lennart, with the blog Motorhome Ellenare in Gran Canaria. They say that, like everyone else, they have been placed in home quarantine for 15 days.

Portugal

Anna and Roger, with the blog Living in a mobile home, say they were 'kicked out' of a municipal campsite in Setúbal, south of Lisbon, because municipal tourist services were closed. They also say that meat, water and toilet paper have been picked up in shops.

Greece

Anita, with the blog Anitas Cretelives in Chania and describes how schools, restaurants, cafés and hotels are no longer allowed to open. Only supermarkets, bakeries and pharmacies are now allowed to open. In the supermarket, only one person is allowed per 10 square metres, so customers are let in at intervals. Anita also explains that there is a TV campaign where famous people are encouraging people to stay at home.

USA

Annika, with the blog Life in the Suburb, blogs from Virginia. She writes that "it is not possible to not talk about it". She talks about her feelings when Trump closed the border with Europe and promises to continue writing about the crisis.

Anna, with the blog New York - My Bite of the Big Apple is not in the US but writes, based on stories from friends, that "New York is becoming a ghost town". She has heard about closed libraries, cancelled shows and empty store shelves.

Asia

Linda, with the blog Resamedfamily.se reported for a long time from Thailand. Among other things, she says that everyone had their temperature taken when they visited the island of Koh Samet and that everyone was heat-scanned on their departure from Thailand.

Christine, with the blog 29 degreeshas been to Bali and says that the island took early measures, such as fever control at airports, which reduced the spread of the disease. She also reports that Bali has been hit hard by the ripple effects of the coronavirus and that some hotels and restaurants have already closed, resulting in unemployment. There is no panic about infection, but there is concern about the economic consequences. Christine has now travelled on to Hawaii, via the 'ghost airport' in Brisbane.

What have you read and heard about the coronavirus situation in the world?

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