BANGKOK – China declared its coronavirus risk level is now low and New Zealand was moving ahead Thursday on relaxing its pandemic shutdown even as health experts expressed growing dread that a potential second wave of deaths and infections could force governments to clamp back down.
Authorities in many countries were drawing up plans for how to cope with a resurgence in outbreaks even as they slowly work to reopen businesses and resume other activity halted to combat the pandemic.
Public health officials in the U.S. said they are worried as about half of states ease their shutdowns, with cellphone data showing that people are becoming restless and increasingly leaving home.