Covid-19: Even as second wave looms, Europe is opening its nightclubs

Europe doesn't have to face a second round of full draconian lockdowns, which would be disastrous for the economy

Europe has been praised for keeping the pandemic in check while reopening its economy. Unlike in the US, a combination of responsible individual behaviour and smart public policy has delayed a resurgence of the new coronavirus.

However, economies and citizens can only take so much of closures and extreme social distancing. From Germany to Greece, an increase in new cases is threatening to turn into a more serious second wave of Covid-19. Some of this is inevitable as shops and businesses reopen, and the younger profile of the newly infected means the latest cases have been less serious. But Europe can’t