In the midst of a dramatic rise in new CoV infections in many European countries, each government responded differently.

Thanks to a strict large-scale blockade, Europe managed to contain Covid-19 and most of the country reopened it two months ago.

However, France, Germany and Italy recently recorded the highest number of new daily nCoV infections since the spring, while Spain faces a massive outbreak.

New infections in Europe, as in many other parts of the world, are concentrated among the young population.

Dr Hans Kluge, WHO director in Europe, said on August 20 that he was "deeply concerned" by the prevalence of people under the age of 24 among new infections.

This time, European leaders largely avoided imposing a large-scale blockade, instead relying on measures such as restricting movement in hot spots, promoting stronger masking, organizing

In France, President Emmanuel Macron ruled out the possibility of a nationwide blockade again and opted for "very local strategies".

More and more French cities are required to wear masks on busy streets and in markets.

However, as the number of new daily nCoV infections is increasing with nearly 4,800 on August 20, the highest number since April, some people wonder if the French government is being too lax.

French Health Minister Olivier Veran admitted on August 21 that the spread of the virus was "accelerating", but said the situation would continue to be under control, as long as people adhere to hygiene and relaxation measures.

However, the situation in Spain reflects the difficulty of the fragmentation approach to stopping the virus.

Consequently, Spain was divided by different regional rules, in which many instructions changed immediately as hundreds of translation clusters were identified.

In the Madrid metropolitan area, labor unions representing teachers on Aug. 19 voted to go on strike instead of reopening classes in September, because they judged that the local government did not guarantee enough security.

The UK approach, Europe's deadliest epidemic zone, has a similarly fragmented feel, with abrupt changes of regulations often confusing the public.

However, UK Health Minister Matt Hancock this week said that workers should return to the office.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed to deal with the pandemic without closing the country's borders, despite the unprecedented daily increase in new cases of nCoV since the end of April.

"I don't think we will close the border again. Politically, we really want to avoid that scenario at all costs," said the German Prime Minister, despite the fact that nearly 40% of cases.

Even when political leaders want to re-impose a blockade, the public is found to be unlikely to comply again.

In the Dutch city of The Hague, dozens of protesters from a group that believed the virus was a government hoax on Aug. 20 clashed with police, reflecting growing discontent with the government's handling.

Masks, which have gained popularity in much of Europe, became a topic of controversy in the Netherlands again when Jaap van Dissel, head of the country's National Institute of Public Health, said that

While still requiring masks on public transport, the Dutch government says it is more important for residents to maintain a safe distance in all cases.

The lack of full confidence in the government's measures is believed to have led to the rise in the number of nCoV cases in Belgium.

"The future will depend on people's behavior. This is not a suggestion, but an order," she said.