Confined New York as seen by Spike Lee, penguins visiting a zoo and the effects of confinement on road accidents made Friday a day like no other. The five dispensable (or not) information of the day.
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1. Today’s figure: 34%
The Belgians reduced their spending by 34% during the first six weeks of confinement, according to an ING analysis carried out on the basis of electronic transactions. A fairly logical figure, when most businesses were closed. The analysis shows an increase in online commerce (+ 24%) and food stores (+ 12%). The number of cash withdrawals has fallen sharply (-65%), as have the amounts withdrawn (-54%), also observes the bank. Good news for our portfolios. Much less for traders.
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2. Picture of the day
New York outraged, New York shattered, New York martyred but New York not yet liberated, one would like to paraphrase: Big Apple, in the eye of the corona cyclone, pays a very heavy price to the pandemic wave, with more than 22,000 dead. Director Spike Lee did the right thing: film his city to pay tribute to him.
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3. Quote of the day
“During the period we are going through, and this hard confinement, it is complicated, because there, we are all a little knocked out. standing. We are brought back to our lives. We share things that are too different, depending on the size of the apartments. But when it opens up a little bit, there are two possible moods. We can be downright laughing, or completely devastated. Or both depending on the people we talk to, ”emphasizes Édouard Baer, in an interview with Nicolas Crousse.
4. The good news of the day: fewer accidents
The drastic confinement to which the Belgians were subjected for several weeks did not only save lives by removing them from the threat of the coronavirus. This general confinement has led to a marked reduction in travel and subsequent road accidents. A reality objectified by the latest road safety barometer from the Vias Institute made public on Friday. There were 6% fewer accidents during the 1st quarter of 2020, with a 6% drop in the number of road deaths (108 instead of 115) and 14% in the number of injured (9,148 instead of 10,665 ). With deconfinement, also be careful … on the roads!
5. The diversion of the day: penguins and otters out for a walk
Animal parks will reopen this Monday in Belgium, on the occasion of the 2nd phase of deconfinement. Animals in captivity experience permanent confinement. How did they live these weeks without visitors? The Japanese Yokohama aquarium offered some freedoms to its protégés: otters and penguins were able to wander in the alleys, visiting sea lions and belugas.
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