Covid-19 Pandemic
 Here’s the latest news from the global pandemic. Hopes fade for V-shaped recovery Europe awaits fiscal cascade starting in Germany Tokyo finds 102 cases, tries to avoid more restrictions A horror story for cinemas Last week I went to the movies for the first time in almost five months, an eternity for a film buff like me. Berlin’s cinemas were allowed to reopen on Thursday, and I marked the occasion by seeing The Invisible Man (not the 1933 Claude Rains classic, but the new 2020 release with Elisabeth Moss) at my local multiplex. I’m not normally into sci-fi horror movies, and the idea of a few hours sharing an enclosed space with strangers during a global pandemic was already scary enough. But the film was okay, and the evening gave me an insight into the challenges facing the industry.  The global film industry grapples with how to return to normal. Photographer: Cheney Orr/Bloomberg This is a big month for the film industry as venues across Europe gradually emerge from lockdown. U.S. movie theaters were also supposed to start up again, only to be thwarted by a spike in coronavirus cases that has also delayed the release of potential blockbusters including Mulan—Disney’s live-action version of the 1998 animated hit—and Bill & Ted Face the Music. The Invisible Man officially came out here in February, a few weeks before the virus forced all German cinemas to turn off the lights. Around 20 people showed up on Thursday, well short of the 147-seat capacity, so social distancing wasn’t a problem. It wasn’t clear how many seats were deliberately left unoccupied. What really struck me, though, was the lack of atmosphere in the almost-empty cinema foyer. To add to the gloom, all the food and drink counters had already closed by the time I left at about 9 p.m. At least some things remained the same. Everyone else in Kino 2 at the Cubix cinema appeared to be eating popcorn, and there wasn’t a mask in sight (understandably, given all that snacking). So far only one large Berlin movie theater has fallen victim to the crisis, though the city’s biggest English-language cinema also closed for good at the end of last year. It doesn’t bode well for an industry that was already under pressure from Netflix and other online services. Some chains have questioned whether it’s worth reopening in the current climate, and one has to wonder whether cinemas are about to face a horror story of their own.—Andrew Blackman Track the virus When Will the Virus Peak in Each U.S. State? As the nation heads into the Fourth of July holiday, officials urged citizens to stay home to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. The latest projections include the possibility of a second wave of deaths, with as many as 199,000 deaths by October.  Join us today at 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. EDT for an exclusive virtual EU Policy Series briefing with Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Finance and Economy. The minister will discuss the economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the European economy, as well as his view on the government’s action to contain the economic fallout. Get details and register here. What you should read Why Europe Looks Better than the U.S. Furlough schemes have kept the jobless rate in check. Banks Are Ditching London Offices Headcount is dropping at fastest rate in at least six years. Running Boom Spurs Federer Shoe Brand Swiss sneaker upstart gains market share from Nike, Adidas. Gen Z Is Bearing the Economic Brunt of the Virus Fears rise of generational scarring without more intervention. Citi Cuts India Growth Forecast Again Gross domestic product seen contracting 6% in the year to March 2021. Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg’s Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022 |
PreviousCovid-19 Pandemic