French antiques aid coronavirus fight

French officials announced on Thursday they will auction off 100 19th-century items from the country’s national furniture collection to support hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19. Mobilier National, which houses the collection, did not indicate which pieces it would sell, but all proceeds from the auction, scheduled for Sept. 20 and 21, will go to the Foundation for Paris Hospitals—French Hospitals (Fondation Hôpitaux de Paris–Hôpitaux de France). France has reported more than 167,300 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, close to 24,400 deaths, and nearly 50,400 recoveries.

How are other European nations faring? British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said the outbreak in the United Kingdom is “on a downward slope” and looser restrictions are coming next week. Germany gave the go-ahead to reopen museums and playgrounds and allowed religious services to resume. Cultural and public events in the Czech Republic with no more than 100 people can begin again starting on May 11.

Dig deeper: Read Mindy Belz’s report in Globe Trot on which countries are lifting or extending restrictions.