France today began lifting Covid restrictions, including mandatory masks outside, in a bid to make everyday life easier for citizens, after only last month the country announced a record number of new coronavirus infections, AFP reported.

Authorities are also removing restrictions on the number of audiences in concert halls, football matches, etc., and working from home will no longer be mandatory, but only recommended.

The easing of the measures is in two stages. They were announced in late January, although the country reached record levels of newly infected on a daily basis last month. Meanwhile, Britain and Denmark have also eased their coronavirus restrictions.

France “will be able to lift most of the anti-epidemic measures in February” thanks to a new vaccination pass that will replace the health pass, Prime Minister Jean Castex said in January.

Since last month, proof of vaccination has been required for the new passes needed to access everything from bars and restaurants to long-distance public transport.

Earlier, a health omission could have resulted from a recent negative test for Covid-19, an opportunity the government cut off in an attempt to persuade more people to get vaccinated.

The second stage of lifting the measures will include the opening of nightclubs closed in December. This will take place from February 16, when standing people at concerts, sporting events and bars will also be allowed. From then, eating and drinking in stadiums and cinemas will be allowed as well.

Paris does consider the progress made on the health situation a condition for the measures.

Denmark is the First in Europe to Return to Normal Life

Yesterday, Denmark said goodbye to the masks and health passes after becoming the first European Union country to lift all local Covid restrictions amid a record number of cases of the milder Omicron variant.

Only a few measures remained in force at the country's borders for the unvaccinated arriving from non-Schengen countries.

At the same time, the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned that it was too early to declare victory on Covid-19 or to abandon anti-epidemic restrictions.

Since the appearance of Covid-19 in China at the end of 2019, the WHO has confirmed more than 372 million cases and nearly 5.7 million deaths.

More than 22 million new infections and more than 60,000 deaths were reported worldwide last week.

/BNR

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