ATLANTA — As the global death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 200,000 on Saturday, countries took cautious steps toward easing lockdowns imposed amid the pandemic, but fears of a surge in infections made even some outbreak-wounded businesses reluctant to reopen.
The states of Georgia, Oklahoma and Alaska started loosening restrictions on businesses despite warnings from experts that such steps might be premature.
Shawn Gingrich, CEO and founder of Lion’s Den Fitness, decided after the Georgia governor’s announcement that his Atlanta gym would remain closed for now.
“We’ve sacrificed so much already,” Gingrich said. “I feel like if we do this too soon, we’ll see a spike in cases and we’re back to square one.”
Others were eager to get back to business, with precautions. Russ Anderson, who owns four tattoo studios in south Georgia, said he “couldn’t get up out of my chair quick enough” when restrictions were lifted. His main shop served 50 or 60 customers Friday when it reopened, with customers and tattoo artists wearing masks, he said.
The worldwide death toll was over 202,000, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University from government figures. The actual death toll is believed to be far higher.
India reopened neighborhood stores that many of the country’s 1.3 billion people rely on for everything from beverages to mobile phone data cards. But the loosening didn’t apply to hundreds of quarantined towns and other places hit hardest by the outbreak that has killed at least 775 people in the country where many poor live in slums too crowded for social distancing.
Shopping malls also stayed closed nationwide. Still, for owners of small stores, being allowed to open again brought relief.
“This is a good decision,” said Amit Sharma, an architect. “We have to open a few things and let the economy start moving. The poor people should have some source of income. This virus is going to be a long-term problem.”
India also allowed manufacturing and farming to resume in rural areas last week to ease the economic plight of millions left jobless by the March 24 lockdown. The restrictions have allowed people out of their homes only to buy food, medicine or other essentials.
Elsewhere in Asia, authorities reported no new deaths Saturday for the 10th straight day in China, where the virus originated. South Korea reported just 10 fresh cases, the eighth day in a row its daily increase was under 20. There were no new deaths for the second straight day.
Underscoring the unknowns about the virus, the World Health Organization said “there is currently no evidence” that people who have recovered from COVID-19 cannot fall sick again.
Some countries extended or tightened restrictions, confirming a pattern of caution.
Sri Lanka had partially lifted a monthlong daytime curfew in more than two thirds of the country. But it reimposed a 24-hour lockdown countrywide until Monday after a surge of 46 new infections, its highest daily increase.
Norway extended until at least Sept. 1 its ban on events with more than 500 participants.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that Spaniards will be allowed to leave their homes for short walks and exercise starting May 2 after seven weeks of strict home confinement, though he said “maximum caution will be our guideline.”
“We must be very prudent because there is no manual, no roadmap to follow,” he said.
Kids in Spain will get their first fresh air in weeks when a ban on letting them outside is relaxed starting Sunday. After 44 days indoors, they’ll be allowed out for adult-supervised one-hour excursions no farther than 0.6 miles from home. They will not be permitted to play with others, and some nervous parents shopped online for child-size masks for them.
“I really want to get outside, and Ema does as well,” Madrid resident Eva Novilo said of her 7-year-old daughter. But Novilo predicted “difficult situations” if they see her friends and have to stay apart. “I don’t know if we will be able to maintain control.”
Belgium sketched out plans for a progressive lockdown relaxation starting May 4 with the resumption of nonessential treatment in hospitals and the reopening of textile and sewing shops to make face masks.
