This article by the International Crisis Group says that deadly and disruptive as it already is, and terribly as it could yet worsen and spread, the 2020 coronavirus outbreak could also have political effects that last long after the contagion is contained. Crisis Group identifies seven points of particular concern.

In order to limit the spread of Covid-19, the Cabinet of Ministers has extended the state of emergency until 12 May this year, thereby extending the validity of the government's Order “Regarding the Declaration of Emergency Situation” of 12 March.

The EU's collective action will focus on addressing the immediate health crisis and resulting humanitarian needs, strengthening partner countries' health, water and sanitation systems and their research and preparedness capacities to deal with the pandemic, as well as mitigating the socioeconomic impact. To underpin these actions, the EU will secure financial support to partner countries amounting to more than €15.6 billion from existing external action resources.

Austria has taken key public health measures that aim to prevent the further spread of the disease as well as measures in place to test and identify cases, trace contacts, and monitor the scale of the outbreak from different fronts: (i) ensuring sufficient physical infrastructure and workforce capacity; (ii) preventing transmission; (iii) providing health services effectively; (iv) paying for services; and (v) governance.

In order to decrease the overall impact of the coronavirus, Italy has been active domestically with significant mitigation measures, a robust medical response and important collaborative scientific research – as well as economic recovery initiatives. At the international level Italy has also undertaken important measures through its development agencies.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is contributing financially and with relief supplies to help overcome the global COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, it is adapting existing programmes by redirecting CHF 56 million of funding. The SDC has also transferred CHF 18 million to international organizations.

Austria has taken key public health measures that aim to prevent the further spread of the disease as well as measures in place to test and identify cases, trace contacts, and monitor the scale of the outbreak from different fronts: (i) ensuring sufficient physical infrastructure and workforce capacity; (ii) preventing transmission; (iii) providing health services effectively; (iv) paying for services; and (v) governance.

It is urgent to understand the future of severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission. We used estimates of seasonality, immunity, and cross-immunity for betacoronaviruses OC43 and HKU1 from time series data from the USA to inform a model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. We projected that recurrent wintertime outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 will probably occur after the initial, most severe pandemic wave. Absent other interventions, a key metric for the success of social distancing is whether critical care capacities are exceeded. To avoid this, prolonged or intermittent social distancing may be necessary into 2022. Additional interventions, including expanded critical care capacity and an effective therapeutic, would improve the success of intermittent distancing and hasten the acquisition of herd immunity. Longitudinal serological studies are urgently needed to determine the extent and duration of immunity to SARS-CoV-2. Even in the event of apparent elimination, SARS-CoV-2 surveillance should be maintained since a resurgence in contagion could be possible as late as 2024.