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Europe is tightening curbs on people and businesses to slow the rapid spread of the coronavirus even as the rollout of a vaccine that could help revive battered economies draws closer. Following record daily cases and deaths on Friday, Germany is urging employers to close workplaces as it starts a hard lockdown on Wednesday. Italy and the Netherlands are expected to sharpen restrictions as well. Concern is mounting that imminent European approval of the Covid-19 vaccine that's already been cleared in the U.K. and the U.S. could prompt complacency with adhering to contact and hygiene rules. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for one more effort to protect loved ones as authorities warn that it will take months before a vaccine can have a tangible impact. "The infection numbers are so high because the measures we took so far were inadequate," Helge Braun, Merkel's chief of staff, said Monday in an interview with n-tv. Europe's largest economy will have to endure "difficult days" as long as a vaccine isn't widely available, added Braun, a qualified medical doctor. Over the weekend, Italy passed the U.K. as the European country with the highest number of Covid-19 deaths, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's administration. Officials are considering new curbs, effectively walking back recent moves to allow more activity during the period, Corriere della Sera reported on Monday. The Dutch government is expected to decide later on Monday on tougher measures, with local media reports saying the country may follow Germany in closing non-essential stores. While the U.K. is already rolling out the shot developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, and the U.S. could begin as early as Monday, the European Union though is lagging behind. European Council President Charles Michel said Sunday he expects the first Covid vaccines to be approved "in the coming weeks, maybe even before the end of the year." Hard-pressed governments are keen to begin administering shots as soon as possible. German Health Minister Jens Spahn noted Sunday that "all the necessary data are available" and said the nation is ready to start vaccinating citizens immediately after approval is granted by the European Medicines Agency. "It's also about the trust of citizens in the ability of the European Union to act," Spahn said on Twitter. "Every day that we can start vaccinating earlier reduces suffering and protects the most vulnerable."—Jerrold Colten, Dara Doyle and Joost Akkermans | 
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