France and Austria reopen bars and restaurants as road closures soften: S.P Overseas Report

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Bars, shops and cultural venues throughout France have opened their doors as the country begins to raise restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.

As of Wednesday, up to six groups were allowed to dine together in outdoor restaurants.

France's national clock is also being reversed from 19:00 to 21:00.

Austria has also allowed restaurants, movie theaters and theaters to open for the first time in six months.

Customers with Green Passes showing illegal testing, vaccinations or recovery from infection will now be able to benefit from the new Austrian laws.

The Austrian government has also announced that travelers from other countries with low infection rates will no longer be required to isolate themselves from Wednesday, although they will still be required to provide evidence of negative testing, vaccinations or recent infections.

Austria entered second place nationwide in November after reporting daily numbers of infections. Less than 600 new cases were reported on Tuesday, reduced to a peak of 9,586 on November 12.

What is the latest in France?

Following the closure of the months, the demolition on Wednesday means that along with unnecessary restaurants, cafes and shops, cinemas, stadiums, museums and sports venues are also welcoming customers.

The BBC's Lucy Williamson of Paris, Lucy Williamson, says people are excited about the prospect of social return in France.

One woman, our reporter adds, had planned a day off from work to sit through three screenings at a local movie - back to back.

Some medical experts in the country have expressed concern about the number of new daily Covid-19 infections, now estimated at 13,000.

But that number is much lower than the peak estimates of more than 40,000 daily cases recently recorded last month.

The French vaccination campaign has also been accelerated in recent weeks, with more than 20 million people (about a third of the population) now receiving at least one dose, and nearly nine million have received both.

The government had set a target of vaccinating 20 million people with the first dose of jab in mid-May.

As part of France's phased reopening, some trade restrictions remain.

While bars and restaurants may not be open to the public, they will not be allowed to provide seats in the houses and should not exceed 50% of their normal capacity. Areas such as theaters and theaters will have to adhere to a 35% capacity and 800 people.

France began lowering restrictions on May 3, when the ban on home tourism was lifted, making it possible for people to travel more than six miles [10 km] from home without having to carry a travel form.The move to reopen businesses in part was a symbolic steip in reviving the country economy , these words were of french finance minister Bruno Le Maire.

High school students also returned to the classrooms - daycare centers and primary schools had previously opened.

Under government plans, the time to get home at night should be completely eliminated by the end of June.

France has recorded more than 5.9 million cases of coronavirus and 108,201 Covid-related deaths since the outbreak, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

S.P Overseas News World

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