Europe reopens with caution, but questions about early cases remain

Europe is eager to get moving again. After weeks of living under lockdown in a collective effort to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections, millions of Europeans are going back to work and schools, and reuniting with loved ones. But it will be a long time before life returns to what it was before the pandemic.

In the wake of more than 140,000 deaths and mounting economic toll, European leaders are understandably cautious with lifting restrictions, monitoring the situation closely as they let citizens out of the lockdown.

Major countries in Europe have all been hit hard by the ongoing pandemic. After the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Europe the new epicenter of COVID-19 outbreak in March, Italy, France, Spain, Britain and Germany reported the most cases and deaths in the continent, where deserted streets, minimal human interactions and feelings of uncertainty became the new normal.

The European Central Bank said last week that the euro-area economy will shrink five percent this year in a "mild" scenario, whereas more severe impacts could mean contractions of up to 12 percent.

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