Belgium and Germany remain cautious about relaxing too quickly
RT – Denmark, France, Ireland, and Norway have pushed ahead with relaxing or removing Covid restrictions in recent weeks, as they listen to calls from the public for measures to be relaxed due to fading concerns about the Omicron strain.
Ireland was one of the first European nations to roll back almost all Covid restrictions imposed amid the spread of Omicron, declaring on January 21 that the nation had passed the peak of the variant’s wave and could return to normal operations.
Denmark and Norway scrapped the majority of their Covid restrictions on Tuesday, with the Danish government stating that the variant can no longer be considered a “socially critical disease” due to its limited burden on healthcare providers. France acted a day later, relaxing its Covid measures on Wednesday, allowing workers to return to offices, and full attendance in stadiums and theatres again.
In the coming days and weeks, Finland, Italy, and Switzerland are each expected to hold meetings of their governments to discuss timelines for relaxing restrictions despite the high number of infections, as there is a declining hospitalization rate in Europe.
However, while most European nations are rolling back measures, Germany has shown little interest in removing restrictions, with the country’s health minister, Karl Lauterbach, claiming the peak of Omicron won’t be seen until mid-February. Similarly, Belgium is maintaining many of its red zone areas, requiring citizens to work from home and placing limits on businesses.
Ultimate Mandate: Austria CRIMINALIZES Being Unvaxxed
Austria will start fining people this week who refuse a Covid vaccine, effectively making the jab mandatory for almost everyone.
Police will begin checking people’s vaccination status on the street and during traffic stops, with those unjabbed risking fines ranging from €600 to €3,600. Exceptions only given to people with medical exemptions or pregnant women.
Critics of the new mandate argue that it violates human rights, and that vaccination should be one’s personal choice. The law runs through 2024 and triggered mass rallies before being passed.
