Europe extends and tightens lockdowns, with fingers crossed for vaccines

A general view of a crossroad close to Hackesche Hoefe in the city centre, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Berlin, Germany, January 7, 2021. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

ROME/ZURICH (Reuters) - Governments across Europe announced tighter and longer coronavirus lockdowns and curbs on Wednesday amid fears of a fast-spreading variant first detected in Britain, with vaccinations not expected to help much until the spring.

Vaccines are being rolled out across the continent, but not as quickly as many countries had wished, and the effects are not expected until inoculations are widespread among the population.