Major economies in Europe have begun rolling back restrictions put in place last month in response to a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations caused by the omicron variant.
In the United Kingdom, which has frequently served as a bellwether of renewed surges for the United States, people will no longer have to wear masks in public or present proof of vaccination to enter event venues and businesses such as restaurants and pubs starting next Thursday. People will also no longer be made to work from home.
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“Because of the extraordinary booster campaign, together with the way the public have responded to the Plan B measures, we can return to Plan A in England and allow Plan B regulations to expire as a result from the start of Thursday next week,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this week.
Johnson told lawmakers that government scientists believe the omicron surge “has now peaked nationally.”
Government health officials reported more than 246,000 new cases on Dec. 29, far higher than the previous peak at about the same time last year when the country recorded about 81,000 cases. The renewed restrictions were a bid by the government to buy more time for people to get their booster shots. The rate of tests coming back positive in the U.K. has also fallen more than 27% over the past seven days, while hospital admissions are down nearly 10%, according to government tracking.
In Ireland, meanwhile, almost all restrictions are expected to expire Saturday morning. Outdoor and indoor event capacities will be scrapped, as will early closing times and six-to-a-table rules for pubs and restaurants. Masking requirements will remain in effect until Feb. 28, including in schools and child care facilities, the Irish Times reported. The government will meet on Friday evening to finalize the time at which all restrictions will be lifted.
“The main thing our government has to consider in our meeting today is issues around the timing as well as issues around financial support for businesses. As we’ve always said there won’t be a cliff edge for the removal of passports for business, but there will be an end,” said Ireland’s tanaiste, or deputy head of government, Leo Varadkar.
Case rates in Ireland have dipped in recent weeks, having hit an all-time high on Jan. 7 with more than 26,000 new cases. Deaths in Ireland dropped this week compared to the previous week, from 83 down to 52, according to government data.
France will also begin rolling back restrictions over the next few weeks, with Prime Minister Jean Castex saying Thursday, “This exceptional wave is not over, but the situation is starting to evolve more favorably.” He justified easing the restrictions with France’s new vaccine pass, which will require people to present proof of full vaccination to enter public venues such as restaurants and museums.
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First to go will be outdoor mask mandates, as well as audience capacity limits for concert halls, sports matches, and other events from Feb. 2. Working from home will no longer be required at that point forward, but it is still encouraged.
By mid-February, nightclubs will be permitted to reopen. People will also be permitted to eat and drink at stadiums, movie theaters, and public transport. The omicron surge in France is expected to peak then. The country is still in the thick of it, though, with an average of more than 337,000 cases per day reported in the last week, an increase of 64% from two weeks ago.
