Europe opens up amid Covid rebellion in Germany

Sweden followed its Nordic neighbours Denmark and Norway on Wednesday by lifting almost all of its anti-Covid rules – including restrictions for incoming EU travellers.

The move comes amid disparity over how continental European countries approach the Omicron variant wave, with a revolt among Germany’s federal states over policy from Berlin.

Sweden’s relaxation of rules means bars and restaurants may remain open past 11pm, patrons no longer need to produce a vaccination pass and masks are no longer required on public transport.

Announcing the move, prime minister Magdalena Andersson said that, while not over, the pandemic was entering a “whole new phase” given indications that Omicron leads to less severe symptoms.

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In Sweden, with 83 per cent of the population doubly-vaccinated, the spike in Omicron infections has not translated into a surge in hospital admissions.

Health minister Lena Hallengren said she and her department would remain vigilant during the return to normality, including returns to the workplace and in-person university courses.

Travel restrictions to Sweden from the rest of the EU, the European Economic Area and Nordic countries were lifted on Wednesday with similar rules for the rest of the world set to expire at the end of March.

With a population of 10 million and 16,028 confirmed Covid-19 deaths, Sweden is in the European average but has registered a much higher toll than neighbours in Norway and Denmark.

Both countries lifted their restrictions last week, with Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store saying it was time for society to “live with” the virus.

Also on Wednesday, Poland cut isolation periods and introduced looser quarantine rules for those infected, with on-site school teaching to resume next week. Health minister Adam Niedzielski hailed “the beginning of the end of the pandemic”, with a large decline in infections making it likely restrictions will be dropped in March.

With the peak of Germany’s Omicron wave expected in two weeks, federal health minister Karl Lauterbach said it was “out of place” to start easing restrictions.

But a majority of Germany’s 16 federal states, which have frontline responsibility for health matters, have done just that, dropping vaccination controls for non-essential retail.

With infections and Covid-related deaths at a seven-day average of 119,000 and 155 respectively, hospitalisations remain at a stable level.

A week after Austria introduced a vaccine mandate for all, Bavaria has broken rank and announced it will not introduce mid-March a vaccine requirement in Germany for nursing and care home sector workers.

Germany’s opposition Christian Democratic Union has said it is unlikely to support a broad vaccine mandate, currently working its way through the Bundestag.

With mid-term holidays looming, France, Portugal and Greece have all announced plans to drop a negative test requirement for entry.

However France has joined Spain and Denmark in requiring people to have had a booster jab to enter, or be classified as unvaccinated. France began lifting travel restrictions last week with nightclubs and other venues set to reopen mid-February.