A New York Times article from this week throws light on the type of punishments served for flouting coronavirus regulations.
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In May, Prince Jochim of Belgium, 28, landed in Spain.
Perhaps he assumed the 14-day quarantine
was not for the royals. He took a flight from Madrid to Cordoba to meet his
girlfriend. The couple attended a party with 27 people. After that he tested
positive.
The Belgian Prince was fined 10,400 Euros ($12,600).
As expected, he deeply regretted his actions. Spain has fined more than a million
people for breach of quarantine.
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Last month, an unnamed 48-year-old Italian had an argument
with his wife and left home to “clear his head”. He is from Como, in the north
of Italy. A week later, he was found in the coastal town of Fano, 280
miles away from his home. His wife had reported him missing to the police. He had
apparently walked 40 miles every day, with strangers feeding him on the way. He
was called the Italian “Forest Gump” on social media. His wife was allowed to
drive and pick him up. She had to pay 400 Euros ($485) before taking custody of
the husband, who was charged for breaking the curfew rules.
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Taiwan places
arriving workers in quarantine hotels. A migrant worker from the Philippines was
asked to spend 14 days inside a hotel room in Kaoshing, the south of Taiwan. He
wanted to give something to his friend quarantined next door. The video shows
the man in shorts and flip-flops leaving his room for 8 seconds. He takes just six
strides and returns to his room. When CCTV caught those 8 seconds, he was
charged $3,550, each second costing him more than $400.
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Australia
doesn’t shy away from naming men. Noel Atkinson, 48, is a construction worker.
His mother was born in India. Craving Indian curry one night, he drove 20 miles
to reach an Indian restaurant for butter chicken. He was fined $1,230 for
breach of lockdown.
Mr Atkinson, an essential worker, drives 50 miles to
work every day. Why was he fined for driving 20 miles? You are allowed to drive
for work, not for takeaways, he was told.
The owner of Desi Dhaba, the curry place, has
taken pity on the fined man. He has offered Mr Atkinson free butter chicken for
his orders next year (presumably after the restrictions are lifted).
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Mr Atkinson was the lucky one, he got away with a
fine. Yusuf Karakaya, 31, used a ladder to sneak in and out of his quarantine
hotel to see his girlfriend. He was given a six-month jail term. The magistrate
said a jail term was needed to send a strong message to the community.
Asher Vander Snaden, instead of staying in her quarantine hotel in Western
Australia, left the state by hiding in a car transported in a truck. She was
also given a six-month jail sentence.
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This month, in India, the Gujarat high court
was creative in punishing people wearing no masks. The court stipulated that
the culprits should be given non-medical community service duty in “Covid Care
Centres”. This will make the violators better understand the nature of the
virus. To have the desired deterrent effect, those cases should get wide
publicity in the media, the court suggested.
India’s Supreme Court, however, has stayed the high
court order calling the sentence too harsh.
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In countries with strict regulations, people must
understand that it is nearly impossible to break the law without being caught
by the omnipresent CCTVs.
Taiwan’s suppression performance is brilliant. It has had
just 736 cases, and 7 deaths, the last death on 11 May. Australia is a democracy,
but can ruthlessly send people to jail for flouting regulations. Australia is
almost free from the virus. Countries like the USA may have something to learn here.
Ravi
Amazing. People have been fined in the UK. But we don't hear of many cases. Maybe why London may be put in Tier 3 (the highest state and one before full lockdown) later this week.
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