French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday that the government will proceed to lift certain COVID-19 restrictions in February. 

The need for a vaccine pass and indoor masking will, however, remain. People will be allowed to enter restaurants, bars, theatres, museums and stadiums if they are carrying proof of vaccination, the PM said, according to news agency AFP. 

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The audience capacity limits for concert halls, sporting matches and other events (2,000 people indoors, and 5,000 outdoors) will end from February 2. These large-capacity venues will be allowed to operate at full capacity again.

Further, people will be allowed to eat and drink in these areas starting February 16, and nightclubs will also be permitted to reopen. 

Working from home will also no longer be mandatory for eligible employees, and face masks will not be required outside, he informed, reported AFP.

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The decision comes amid ‘encouraging signs’ that the current COVID wave fuelled by the omicron variant is gradually waning, Castex said at a press conference. 

“We are a bit more confident in saying we can relax some of these constraints and let people return to life as normal as possible,” Health Minister Olivier Veran added at the press conference.

“Since the announcement of the vaccine pass, one million French people have gotten vaccinated. That’s good, but it’s not enough,” he said.

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Booster doses of the COVID vaccine would be offered to children aged 12 and 17 from Monday. Castex also informed that those who hadn’t received a booster shot four months after their second dose would not be considered as having a complete vaccination cycle.

The PM added that it was possible the country eases face mask rules for children in schools towards the end of February.

Notably, the number of COVID patients in intensive care has been on the decline in France since the beginning of January. 

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“We have seen that incidence rates are still rising, but we also know that the Omicron variant results in fewer serious cases than the Delta variant,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal said Thursday.

“There are hopes the Omicron wave could peak soon,” he said, reported AFP.

Nearly 80% of the French population have been fully vaccinated.