The Week That Covid Sucker Punched the World

Governments went to the tried and tested virus-fighting tools in their playbook as cases in Europe spiked.

On Monday morning, Austria's near-9 million residents woke to life in lockdown. Days later, a new Covid-19 variant set off alarm bells across the world, Europe and the U.S. slapped a travel ban on countries in Southern Africa and health officials raced to get ahead of a new threat.It was the week the coronavirus reminded the world that the pandemic is far from over, delivering a combination punch of escalating infections, restrictions and a new mutation. The developments, marking a setback in the battle against the disease and a dent to the economic recovery, slammed equities and oil prices.

Governments went to the tried and tested virus-fighting tools in their playbook as cases in Europe spiked.

Germany tightened restrictions for the unvaccinated, France toughened rules on mask wearing and health passes, and Austria closed businesses from hotels to gyms. Belgium ordered nightclubs to close, and banned the public from indoor sporting events.

The U.K. ruled out tightening pandemic rules, but was quick to halt flights from six countries once news of the variant - B.1.1.529 - emerged. The European Union proposed the same measure as several of its member states went ahead and restricted travel.