PARIS: People in France will on Wednesday be able to enjoy indoor dining and staying out until 11 pm for the first time in months under a new relaxation of COVID-19 rules after the curfew will be pushed back from 9 pm to 11 pm across the nation, as the vaccination drive gearing up and decline in daily covid cases.
In a key new phase of the program relaxing the lockdown, diners will be able to go inside cafes and restaurants, terrace consumption to full capacity, up from the 50 percent already resumed on May 19.
And restrictions at cultural venues, reopened on May 19, are also being eased as a sense of normality returns to France with glorious early summer weather.
“A new step will be taken” on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron mentioned on Twitter.
“Life will resume across our lands. It is part of our culture, of our art of living, that we are going to reacquaint ourselves with,” he said.
France also introduces a new health pass that comes into effect on June 9, enabling access to activities with large crowds. The pass, available digitally through the “Tous Anti-Covid” Virus Tracing App or in paper form, provides proof that an individual age 11 and up has been fully vaccinated against coronavirus; has tested positive for Covid-19 more than 15 days ago and within the last six months (with the resulting natural antibodies reducing the risk of reinfection); or has tested negative with a recent Covid-19 PCR test.
The health pass will allow access to gatherings of more than 1,000 people, including indoor and outdoor sporting events, cultural venues, casinos, festivals, trade shows, and funfairs.
In virtually all of France however, masks however remain obligatory even out of doors until further notice.
But the latest figures suggest the health situation is improving.
The numbers in intensive care are down to 2,394 compared with 6,000 in late April.
And as of Tuesday, more than 28 million people had had at least one vaccine shot –Â nearly 43 percent of the population, and 55 percent of the adult population.
Travel to France is also becoming easier, with France from Wednesday fully opening its borders to EU residents.
Visitors from the EU will not have to provide a negative antigen or PCR test if they have had a full course of one of the four vaccines authorised by the bloc.
Travel from other zones including the US and Britain are subject to tighter restrictions but visitors will no longer have to prove a compelling reason for a visit, so long as they have had the full course of vaccinations.
