France to Ease COVID-19 Restrictions from Feb.2

France is set to lift Covid-19 restrictions starting from February 2, French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday evening.

During a press conference on Thursday, Castex affirmed that France is going to end audience capacity limits for concert halls, sporting matches and other events from February 2. In addition, citizens will no longer be required to wear masks outside.

Castex justified the easing of restrictions with France's new Covid-19 vaccination pass that will come into effect on Monday, January 24, provided it gets approved by the Constitutional Council. He also added that the pass could even be suspended if the situation improved dramatically in the country.

On his part, Health Minister Olivier Véran said that step would depend on how much pressure hospitals are under.

"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," Véran said.

In a first step towards loosening Covid measures, the audience capacity limits for concert halls, sporting matches and other events at 2,000 people indoors, and 5,000 outdoors will be lifted from February 2.

Castex has pointed out that 93 percent of French adults now had at least one dose.

"Since the announcement of the vaccine pass, one million French people have gotten vaccinated. That's good, but it's not enough," he said, adding that booster shots would be extended to children aged 12 to 17 starting Monday.