A new threat looms over Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic and self-isolation, as the birth rate has sharply decreased in a number of countries. The Spanish newspaper El Pais writes about it.
According to the publication, in December 2020 and January 2021, the birth rate in Spain fell by 22.6 percent compared to the same period last year. According to the director of the Institute of the National Research Council Diego Ramiro, these data are not enough to make a forecast for the year, but it is already clear that a strong demographic decline is expected.
The newspaper notes that a similar situation is observed in other European countries. In particular, in Italy, the number of newborns fell by 21.6 percent compared to the same period last year, and in France in January, the birth rate fell by 13 percent.
Among the factors that influenced the decline in the birth rate, the authors of the article name a sharp decline in jobs and high mortality from the coronavirus.
Earlier, analysts of the Bloomberg agency predicted a loss of 100 billion euros to the European Union due to the slow pace of vaccination of the population against coronavirus. It is noted that European funds have been recording capital outflows for the third week in a row, and the continuing increase in the incidence of coronavirus may disrupt the current strategies of investors.
