Young people around the world have been defying official advice and bans to carry on socialising

Authorities in countries around the world in lockdown over the coronavirus outbreak are warning young people to obey the rules on social distancing amid widespread reports of partying and gatherings.

Scientists and health officials say that revellers meeting for “lockdown parties” and “end of world” drinking sessions were acting irresponsibly by contributing to the spread of the virus.

Statistics show that young people are as likely as older people to get infected and spread the virus. But as younger people are far less likely to be badly affected and in 50% of cases will not even have symptoms, according to leading virologists, many young people say they have no reason to be scared of it.

In Berlin, renowned for its non-stop partying, and a magnet for European clubbers, police have repeatedly broken up gatherings, and last weekend forced more than 60 clubs and bars to close after they defied a decree by local authorities ordering the closure of all entertainment venues.

The police also report that “corona speakeasies” have been springing up in the city, where owners of closed bars have taped up the windows and locked the doors, only allowing in guests who have registered, or who deliver a specific knock on the door.

In a tweet, Berlin police warned: “If you run a bar, tape up the windows and allow people to enter only by knocking or arranging to come in advance, then you should know that we’re not living in a situation like Chicago of the 1920s, instead it will trigger a police operation.”

Polizei Berlin Einsatz (@PolizeiBerlin_E) #Infotweet:

Wenn Sie eine Bar betreiben, die Scheiben abkleben und Einlass nur über Klopfen oder nach Voranmeldung gewähren, dann sind das nicht nur Zustände wie im Chicago der 20er des letzten Jahrhunderts – sondern es löst auch einen Polizeieinsatz aus.#sonichtbitte#COVID19

Similar breaches have occurred across Germany, as schools and universities have been closed. The widespread belief is that it is only a matter of time before authorities issue all-out curfews, like in France.

In Dunedin, New Zealand, hundreds of university students have ignored government bans on mass gatherings and are pushing ahead with plans for the annual Hyde street party on 4 April, which is traditionally attended by thousands of first-year university students and infamous for fights, mass drunkenness and public disorder.

Even though the event has officially been cancelled, on Facebook hundreds have indicated that they plan to flout the ban and party en masse regardless.

Princeton University in New Jersey reported an explosion in parties, according to local press and students, after it announced last week its teaching would be moved online and students were sent home. Some talked of having “last blast” or “dancing under the volcano” parties.

Israeli citizens have been criticised by their president, Reuven Rivlin, for treating the restrictions as holidays and urged them to follow the instructions of the ministry of health. “We must not turn these days into leisure days,” he said in an address to the nation. “I hear that our beaches and hiking trails are bursting. The danger is real. Let me ask you again to follow the instructions regarding distancing and to keep away from gatherings. This is a real danger.”

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In Hong Kong those not seen to be taking the restrictions seriously, particularly not wearing masks, which has been the community response, have been shamed. The Apple Daily newspaper published a front page targeting “westerners who don’t wear masks, walking around freely”. It depicted a group of people outside a bar drinking and smoking, which prompted much nationwide debate and sparked an online campaign called #wearafuckingmask.

In Bangkok, pubs, bars and other entertainment venues were told to close as the government attempts to stop the spread of the virus. Until recently, some were continuing to party, despite the outbreak, prompting officials to warn against irresponsible behaviour.

Last week, the Thai ministry of health confirmed that a cluster of patients had tested positive for the virus after sharing drinks and cigarettes together in an enclosed room for a long time.

Foreign tourists have also been criticised for failing to wear masks. Last month, Thailand’s public health minister Anutin Charnvirakul suggested that those who do not do so should be kicked out of the country because they were putting others at risk.

In Rio de Janiero’s bohemian Santa Teresa neighbourhood, parties are also said to be still happening.

And in Argentina, thousands of people have gone on leave and have been rushing to the beaches to enjoy the last days of Argentina’s southern hemisphere summer.

On Monday, a line of cars over a mile (two kilometres) long queued outside the Atlantic beach resort of Monte Hermoso, waiting to enter. “There’s a lot of irresponsibility and little understanding by people,” the town’s mayor, Alejandro Dichiara said.

Virologists say the rules on social distancing, including avoiding unnecessary gatherings, is a highly convincing way to slow down the spread of the virus.

“The measures are totally appropriate,” said Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, the leading public health body in Germany, urging people to follow them. “If we continue to move around and if we don’t manage to reduce our contacts and keep a distance of at least 1.5 metres between us and the next person, within two to three months we’ll have 10 million infected people in Germany alone,” he said on Wednesday.

“The huge level of mobility among young people means the closure of clubs and bars is a good idea, and the point is that young people can infect the elderly and vulnerable.”

A study from South Korea shows that around a third or 2,300 of the estimated 8,100 confirmed infections there are of young people aged between 20 and 29, the highest proportion of any age group. South Korea is believed to have so far carried out more coronavirus tests than any other country – 4,000 per million residents (four times as many as Italy and over 150 times more than the US), so the results are among the most comprehensive available and show that the behaviour of young people has a significant relevance on the development of the pandemic.

Anyone in South Korea who wants a test is able to get one, and up to 20,000 are carried out every day, in one of around 50 drive-through testing stations across the country.

While many pubs were quieter than usual in the UK, some people chose to defy the official advice and headed to their local bars to celebrate St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday.

In Liverpool, punters raised pints in the air and sang “fuck the coronavirus” to the tune of Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes in one busy pub.

There were similar scenes in Newcastle, where drinkers wearing novelty Irish hats were pictured hugging in groups – or worse for wear on the floor – in defiance of advice to avoid all non-essential contact.

In the busy student area of Jesmond some pubs were so full that drinkers spilled out into the street just 24 hours after Boris Johnson’s announcement of stricter social-distancing measures.

Hostelries worried about the expected drop-off in trade are coming up with novel ways to get round the shutdown.

One popular Manchester venue, Reasons to be Cheerful, rebranded itself Reasons to be Careful and turned its bar into an off-licence offering takeaway booze. It said it had seen an “incredible” response in the first 24 hours.

Another pub, Heaton Hops, started what it called its Hospitality Hung Out to Dry Plan and began a beer delivery service for thirsty punters keen for a quarantine-friendly pint.

Meanwhile students remaining in University College London’s halls of residences were reprimanded for misbehaviour by provost Prof Arthur Michael as he set out planned changes as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. It is understood that a small number of students hosted large parties and had damaged property as a result.

In an announcement outlining plans for building closures on campus, Michael wrote in: “We have been saddened and disappointed to hear reports of exceptionally poor behaviour in some of our halls of residence.

“Such poor behaviour must stop immediately and those found to be involved will be subject to UCL’s disciplinary procedures and will face termination of their studies.”

The announcement stated that UCL students are expected to return home within the next few days unless they are unable to due to travel restrictions, in which case halls remain open to accommodate them.