EUROPE: Closed Borders Snarl Vital Shipments, German Minister Blasts False Reports Of Closing Supermarkets

The Associated Press reports:

Strict new controls to slow the spread of the coronavirus froze traffic at global borders Tuesday, idling trucks in columns more than 30 miles long at some European crossings, while masked security officers turned back travelers at others.

The moves by officials bent on protecting their citizens raised new questions about how to maintain supplies of food, medical equipment and other goods in coming weeks that will be critical to nations in lockdown. Word of the border closings fanned growing fears in Europe, prompting widespread hoarding.

“There is enough for everybody,” German Agriculture Minister Julia Kloeckner [photo] said, castigating people for spreading panic by posting fake reports that supermarkets would be closing. “I’m certain we will weather this society-wide situation well, so long as we behave as a society.”

Traffic jams swelled along borders and some travelers appealed to their governments for help getting home as countries in Europe and beyond imposed strict controls along their frontiers aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. https://t.co/pAM1nyXrIT

— Alex Sanz (@AlexSanz) March 17, 2020