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European Car Sales Fall the Most in Decades, Signaling Slump European Car Sales Fall the Most in Decades, Signaling Slump
(8 days later)
FRANKFURT — European car sales went over a cliff in March, falling to their lowest level in at least 30 years, according to data published Friday that provided one of the first concrete indications of the economic damage caused by coronavirus lockdowns.FRANKFURT — European car sales went over a cliff in March, falling to their lowest level in at least 30 years, according to data published Friday that provided one of the first concrete indications of the economic damage caused by coronavirus lockdowns.
Most of the previous available economic data dated from before the lockdowns began and is all but useless. Also, the car industry is a bellwether for overall economic growth in the European Union because it is a pillar of manufacturing and employs so many people — 2.6 million, or 9 percent of all factory workers in the bloc. Based on the March sales numbers, the outlook is not good.Most of the previous available economic data dated from before the lockdowns began and is all but useless. Also, the car industry is a bellwether for overall economic growth in the European Union because it is a pillar of manufacturing and employs so many people — 2.6 million, or 9 percent of all factory workers in the bloc. Based on the March sales numbers, the outlook is not good.
New car registrations fell by more than half from a year earlier, to 570,000 from 1.3 million, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said. It was by far the worst March for auto sales since at least 1990. Comparisons before then are of limited value because Europe was still divided by the Iron Curtain.New car registrations fell by more than half from a year earlier, to 570,000 from 1.3 million, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said. It was by far the worst March for auto sales since at least 1990. Comparisons before then are of limited value because Europe was still divided by the Iron Curtain.
The new registration figures may be even worse than they sound. It was only around the middle of the month that most car dealers in Europe closed their doors, factories went idle and buyers were told to stay at home.The new registration figures may be even worse than they sound. It was only around the middle of the month that most car dealers in Europe closed their doors, factories went idle and buyers were told to stay at home.
Italy, which went into lockdown first, suffered the biggest drop in car sales: 85 percent in March. That suggests that the damage to the European car industry could be even more severe in April, depending on how quickly lockdowns ease.Italy, which went into lockdown first, suffered the biggest drop in car sales: 85 percent in March. That suggests that the damage to the European car industry could be even more severe in April, depending on how quickly lockdowns ease.
Automakers are eager to get their assembly lines rolling again, and some — including Volkswagen, Volvo and Daimler — will cautiously begin doing so on Monday.Automakers are eager to get their assembly lines rolling again, and some — including Volkswagen, Volvo and Daimler — will cautiously begin doing so on Monday.
The companies will essentially be conducting a grand experiment in whether it is possible to run a big factory without exposing workers to infection and provoking a renewed outbreak.The companies will essentially be conducting a grand experiment in whether it is possible to run a big factory without exposing workers to infection and provoking a renewed outbreak.
“The best thing we can do to help society is to find ways to restart the company in a safe way,” Hakan Samuelsson, the chief executive of Volvo Cars, said in a statement on Friday.“The best thing we can do to help society is to find ways to restart the company in a safe way,” Hakan Samuelsson, the chief executive of Volvo Cars, said in a statement on Friday.
Assembly lines will be staffed by workers in masks and protective clothing, sometimes separated from one another by plastic screens. Shift changes will be staggered to minimize the number of people who come in contact with others.Assembly lines will be staffed by workers in masks and protective clothing, sometimes separated from one another by plastic screens. Shift changes will be staggered to minimize the number of people who come in contact with others.
Showrooms will also begin reopening. Opel, a unit of the French automaker PSA, said it would reopen its German dealerships on Monday after the German government announced that it would gradually ease lockdown restrictions.Showrooms will also begin reopening. Opel, a unit of the French automaker PSA, said it would reopen its German dealerships on Monday after the German government announced that it would gradually ease lockdown restrictions.
The big question now is how quickly sales will rebound, and how much of the lost revenue car companies will be able to make up later in the year. Even after the virus recedes, carmakers will face formidable problems.The big question now is how quickly sales will rebound, and how much of the lost revenue car companies will be able to make up later in the year. Even after the virus recedes, carmakers will face formidable problems.
Many people are likely to re-emerge from home quarantine significantly poorer because they lost their jobs or suffered steep declines in income. Supply chains are in turmoil. The economy of China, a critical market for Volvo and the German carmakers, shrank for the first time in decades, the government reported Friday.Many people are likely to re-emerge from home quarantine significantly poorer because they lost their jobs or suffered steep declines in income. Supply chains are in turmoil. The economy of China, a critical market for Volvo and the German carmakers, shrank for the first time in decades, the government reported Friday.
The sales declines could leave permanent scars on some automakers, many of which were already struggling. Fiat Chrysler sales plummeted 77 percent in March, reflecting the grave health crisis in its stronghold of Italy.The sales declines could leave permanent scars on some automakers, many of which were already struggling. Fiat Chrysler sales plummeted 77 percent in March, reflecting the grave health crisis in its stronghold of Italy.
The company sold 27,000 cars during the month, including sales in Britain and Switzerland, which are not members of the European Union. Fiat fell behind not only most of its European rivals but also foreign brands like Hyundai and Toyota that were once considered niche players.The company sold 27,000 cars during the month, including sales in Britain and Switzerland, which are not members of the European Union. Fiat fell behind not only most of its European rivals but also foreign brands like Hyundai and Toyota that were once considered niche players.
PSA, whose sales are skewed toward southern Europe, also suffered disproportionately. Its sales plunged 68 percent, in line with declines of around 70 percent in Spain and France. PSA, whose brands include Peugeot, Citroën and Opel, is merging with Fiat.PSA, whose sales are skewed toward southern Europe, also suffered disproportionately. Its sales plunged 68 percent, in line with declines of around 70 percent in Spain and France. PSA, whose brands include Peugeot, Citroën and Opel, is merging with Fiat.
Updated July 7, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
The German carmakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen fared marginally better, with declines of less than 50 percent. But it is unclear whether they are more resistant to the economic chaos caused by the virus or simply benefiting temporarily from their strength in northern European countries that generally began lockdowns later in March.The German carmakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen fared marginally better, with declines of less than 50 percent. But it is unclear whether they are more resistant to the economic chaos caused by the virus or simply benefiting temporarily from their strength in northern European countries that generally began lockdowns later in March.
New registrations in Germany fell 38 percent during the month, still a catastrophic decline. Vehicles are Germany’s biggest export, and its economy is much more dependent on the auto industry than is France’s or Italy’s.New registrations in Germany fell 38 percent during the month, still a catastrophic decline. Vehicles are Germany’s biggest export, and its economy is much more dependent on the auto industry than is France’s or Italy’s.
Most assembly-line employees have been furloughed, but at least some will be reporting to work on Monday.Most assembly-line employees have been furloughed, but at least some will be reporting to work on Monday.
Volkswagen, which has already restarted limited production at some parts factories, plans to reopen factories in Zwickau, Germany, and Bratislava, Slovakia, on Monday. Other factories around the world will follow later in April and in May, Volkswagen said.Volkswagen, which has already restarted limited production at some parts factories, plans to reopen factories in Zwickau, Germany, and Bratislava, Slovakia, on Monday. Other factories around the world will follow later in April and in May, Volkswagen said.
Daimler, the maker of Mercedes-Benz cars and trucks, said that next week it would reopen three German factories that produce vital parts, such as a system made in Berlin that controls the valves of an internal combustion engine. The plants will initially operate for one shift a day as Daimler gradually restarts operations in Germany.Daimler, the maker of Mercedes-Benz cars and trucks, said that next week it would reopen three German factories that produce vital parts, such as a system made in Berlin that controls the valves of an internal combustion engine. The plants will initially operate for one shift a day as Daimler gradually restarts operations in Germany.
BMW has begun preparations to reopen factories, a spokeswoman said Friday, but at the moment does not plan to do so before the end of April.BMW has begun preparations to reopen factories, a spokeswoman said Friday, but at the moment does not plan to do so before the end of April.
Volvo Cars said it would reopen its factories and offices in Sweden on Monday. Workers entering the plant will be able to voluntarily submit to health checks, and workstations have been rearranged to keep employees at a safe distance from one another, the company said.Volvo Cars said it would reopen its factories and offices in Sweden on Monday. Workers entering the plant will be able to voluntarily submit to health checks, and workstations have been rearranged to keep employees at a safe distance from one another, the company said.
Fiat, PSA and Renault have not yet said when they will reopen their factories.Fiat, PSA and Renault have not yet said when they will reopen their factories.