How Covid-19 is shutting down central Europe in the new ‘cold’ war

Well, it looks like baked beans, beer and box-sets for the foreseeable as the climes of this foreign land we now call home put life on hold.

The Slovak government has ordered a 14-day ban on all cultural, sporting – and many other – events to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

Twelve cases of the infection had been reported, when the country shut down its airports and most of its hotels, shops, bars and restaurants and opened up ‘municipal facilities’ so it can isolate infected visitors and travellers.

Slovakia’s decision about coronavirus means that most of emerging Europe is now effectively closed to prevent the number of cases reaching epidemic proportions as it has in Italy and Spain.

States of emergency have been declared in Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Schools in almost all of the 23 countries in this once burgeoning part of Europe have been closed or are set to close from March 16.

Both Czechia and Slovakia have to all intents and purposes closed their borders to foreigners with exemptions to the travel ban only for trucks, allowing the economy to continue operating.

Czechs and Slovaks who commute to work in Austria or Germany will also be exempt from the travel ban.

However, Slovenia has closed its border with Italy.

Albania has closed bars and restaurants, and implemented a 72-hour curfew on private vehicles.

Albania’s Central Bank Governor Gent Sejko has announced a three-month loan holiday for both business and families. All those who wish to can now postpone the payments on their loans – including mortgages – without suffering penalties. Other countries are likely to follow suit.

Poland had banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people but some have set the bar a lot lower: Latvia – 200 people; Hungary, Lithuania and Romania – 100 people; Czechia – 30.

In Bulgaria only one seat in two can be occupied.

In Romania, the entire government went into isolation on Friday after a ruling party senator, Vergil Chițac, tested positive for the virus. Incredibly prime minister Ludovic Orban made the announcement at a press conference attended by dozens of journalists.

Sadly, 14 of the 70 people infected with the virus in Romania are people said to have come into contact with a so-called ‘super-spreader’ who is said to have lied about a trip he made with his mistress.

He has apparently affected his whole family and faces criminal charges and a possible prison sentence if found guilty.

Serbia has closed a number of crossing points on its border with Romania and

Estonia’s foreign minister, Urmas Reinsalu, has told people in coronavirus at-risk zones not to travel to his country.

On March 12, Azerbaijan reported its first death from the virus, a 50-year-old woman.

The only country in the region yet to report any cases of the coronavirus is Kosovo. The country has, however, closed schools and banned flights from a number of countries.

In the tiny valley where we live, the small city of Poprad has many new businesses – plush restaurants, bars and even a kebab house. They have opened for the approaching summer season when the High Tatras Mountains draw visitors from across the world.

But with no airports open and few hotels working properly, many of these new business owners fear the worst.

However, if the virus is contained in the next few weeks and mostly impacts the economy through March and April, most economies could bounce-back, as consumers resume their typical spending behaviour and businesses fix their supply chains.

But if, coronavirus continues to spread there will be deep and prolonged economic disruption and could cause a full-fledged recession.