OVERVIEW: COPID-Developments, Europe, US

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni on Monday said Francis had decided against appearing near the Spanish Steps on Dec. 8, a church feast day in honor of the Virgin Mary.

Traditionally, the pontiff says prayers and makes brief remarks at the foot of a towering column which is topped by a statue representing Mary. The pope is then usually driven through the nearby narrow streets lined with chic fashion shops. ...

ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s largest medical association has criticized a decision by the country’s center-right government to impose price caps on coronavirus tests at private labs, warning that the measure could disrupt testing during a spike in infections.

The government last week set the price limits at 40 euros ($48) for regular swab tests and 10 euros ($12) for rapid tests, cutting current rates at most labs by more than half.

In response, the Panhellenic Medical Association said Monday that the measure would force many independent labs to stop providing COVID-19 tests, putting additional pressure on the state-run health service.

There was no immediate response from Greece’s Development Ministry to the complaint.

Greece suffered its highest daily death toll due to the pandemic at the weekend, with 121 deaths reported Saturday, while the cumulative death toll stands at 2,321 with more than two-thirds of all fatalities occurring in November. ...

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LONDON — Pubs and restaurants in Wales will be barred from opening in the evenings or selling alcohol as part of new measures to suppress a resurgent coronavirus.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said that starting Friday hospitality businesses will have to close at 6 p.m. and entertainment venues including movie theaters, bingo halls and bowling alleys must shut completely. The measures are due to last until at least Dec. 17.

Wales had a 17-day “circuit-breaker” lockdown in October and November, which succeeded in reducing transmission of the virus. But cases have risen and Drakeford said the outbreak was “accelerating” once again.

Neighboring England went into a four-week lockdown on Nov. 5, and a major survey released Monday says that by Nov. 24 it had cut coronavirus cases by almost a third. Many businesses in England will be able to reopen from Wednesday, though pubs and restaurants will stay closed in the hardest-hit areas.

All of the U.K. plans to ease restrictions for several days over Christmas so that families can spend the holiday together. ...

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BERLIN — The German government has launched plans to build up a “national health reserve” of equipment to prevent a repeat of the scramble for supplies seen at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Health Minister Jens Spahn said the “corona Cabinet” of senior ministers approved the plan on Monday. He said that protective equipment and masks, ventilators and medicines will be stockpiled at 19 sites across Germany.

Spahn said that the plan is to have a month’s worth of supplies physically on hand, with rolling contracts in place to ensure six months’ supplies. The aim is to set up the structure of the reserve next year, filling it initially with imported supplies and from 2022 with material made in Germany. ...