While the Omicron variant continues to rapidly spread across the globe, many European countries have started to lift several of the travel and social restrictions that were originally imposed to curb the spread of the virus. Health officials have noted that the recent wave has reached the level where restrictions may be ineffective in lessening the rate of COVID-19 infections.

The European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, along with Justice Commissioner Didier Reyners, issued a joint statement on travel regulations. Sharing their encouragement for EU member states to relieve prior restrictions that make travel “more cumbersome and less predictable, as the highly contagious Omicron variant has already made its way across the continent.” 

Denmark has headed the return to pre-pandemic life. The last of its COVID-19 restrictions were dropped on February 1. 82 percent of Denmark’s population has received two doses of the vaccine, 50 percent of which have the booster shot. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke has said that COVID-19 is “no longer a critical threat to society,” given the high vaccination rate in Denmark. 

Following closely behind Denmark is the United Kingdom, which has started to ease COVID-19 restrictions by announcing the plan to drop the official requirement for vaccinated travelers to test upon arrival by February 11. Travellers not recognized as fully vaccinated will continue to need a pre-departure test as well as a second day test after arrival. The U.K. government has received public support from individuals and corporations who see the new guidelines as a shift in the right direction. Johan Lundren, chief executive of British carrier easyJet plc, has said that “testing for travel should now firmly become a thing of the past,” he continues on to say that “it is clear travel restrictions did not materially slow the spread of Omicron in the U.K., and so it is important that there are no more knee-jerk reactions to future variants.” Lundren’s opinion is representative of a wider range of U.K. based businesses and corporations that support the government;s decision decisions. 

Similarly, French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that starting in February, the French government would begin to lift many of its restrictions, such as the imposed capacity limits and the outdoor mask wearing mandate. In France, high capacity venues will once again be permitted to operate at full capacity beginning on February 2. Furthermore, starting on February 16, food and beverage consumption will be allowed in indoor public areas, and nightclubs are set to reopen. Despite the winding down of restrictions, however, France will be enforcing a rule whereby people have to show proof of vaccination status or recent recovery. This restriction is likely to stay in place until the current pressure faced by hospitals is relieved, but at this time, exact numbers are not yet known.

While action is being taken in much of Europe to unwind the familiar COVID-19 restrictions, Austria has started to tighten their mandates, making the COVID-19 vaccine compulsory for all Austrian citizens. Austria is the first European country to adopt such measures. While many Austrian citizens recognize the justifications for the vaccine mandate, seeing it as a way to go back to life as was once known, others have taken to the streets in Vienna, displaying their opposition to compulsory jabs. An estimated 44,000 people attended a demonstration in early December 2021, claiming that the Austrian government is impeding on their individual freedoms. Despite the deep divide, the Austrian government will continue forward with the vaccine legislation, While much of Europe is moving towards the removal of COVID-19 restrictions, Austria is continuing to tighten restrictions in an effort to see the end of the pandemic. 

Brown University’s Dr. Ashish Jha believes that “because mandates are costly and should be used sparingly, and because during future surges, we may need to ask people to pull back or mask up again, [p]reserving people’s willingness to do things is critical.” This belief is being played out across Europe, as many European leaders are finding the balance between rediscovering a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy and keeping people healthy and safe. As long as vaccines continue to rollout, and public trust in European governments is sustained, COVID-19 and the associated restrictions may very likely fade into the background of history.

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