3 countries in Europe easing coronavirus restrictions

ANKARA

Belgium, Switzerland, and Denmark announced Wednesday that they will gradually ease coronavirus restrictions that have been in place in recent months to halt the spread of the virus.

The Swiss government announced Wednesday that outdoor tables in restaurants and bars will be permitted as of next Monday. Cultural and sports events will be open to audiences under certain conditions. The numbers will be limited to 100 for outdoor events and 50 for indoor events.

The announcement came even as COVID-19 cases in Switzerland have shown no significant decrease.

Switzerland on Wednesday reported 2,601 daily coronavirus infections, pushing total infections to 627,968.

Some 1.12 million people in Switzerland have received a COVID-19 jab as of April 11, or nearly 13% of the overall population.

Belgium

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced Wednesday that bars and restaurants in the country will be allowed to reopen their outdoor terraces starting May 8, pointing to a falling number of daily coronavirus infections.

A ban on non-essential travel within the EU will also end next Monday while schools reopen.

Non-essential shops, hairdressers, beauty salons will also be permitted to open their doors on April 26.

Some 1.93 million in Belgium have received a COVID-19 jab in Belgium as of April 12, or 16.6% of the population.

Denmark

The Danish government has announced the easing of restrictions on international travel in phases between April 12 and June 26.

The four-stage plan, which applies to travel to and from countries in the EU, includes a gradual lifting of quarantine for travelers depending on where they come from. It requires travelers to show a negative PCR test for coronavirus when entering the country.

Nearly 977,000 people in Denmark have been vaccinated against COVID-19, or 16.8% of the population.