PARIS, Jan 20 (KUNA) -- French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Thursday that his government would start phasing out the coronavirus restrictions as from February 2.
Wearing of facemasks at open areas and working online will be no longer mandatory but rather advisable, he said, noting that caps on occupancy will be lifted at cultural and sports events.
Nightclubs and concerts will resume as of February 16, Castex said at a joint press conference with Minister of Health Olivier Veran.
The prime minister noted that France faces exceptional outbreak of Delta and Omicron variants with the latter affecting nearly five million people, not to mention those who showed no considerable symptoms and did not undergo swab tests.
The vaccination certificate system, recently approved by the French National Assembly, will in effect this Monday, he stated.
The persons, vaccinated before February 15, will be entitled to have this document provided they produce a negative test result 24 hours earlier and have a second dose 28 days later, he went on.
Castex urged the public to get the booster jabs against the viral illness.
The daily infection rate in France has recently hit a record high of nearly 436,000. (end) ma.gb