Lockdown Measures in Europe (updated on 20 and 21 January 2021)

Countries across Europe have ramped up or extended the application of measures to counter the spread on COVID-19 as 2021 gets underway. Bars, restaurants and cafés are closed and may only provide delivery or take-away services in the vast majority of European countries. Several countries experienced spikes in infections during the holiday season which has led to the enactment of more restrictive measures including full lockdowns and/or night time curfews. A new, highly infectious virus strand is causing extreme concern, in particular in the UK and Ireland. Over the course of January, several countries can observe a more stable situation but infection rates generally remain high. Spain, Portugal and Estonia observe the most significant increases in infections in relative terms. At the same time, countries are getting vaccination programmes underway, with priority awarded to healthcare personnel and the most vulnerable.