London: Nations across Europe are moving to re-impose tougher measures to stem a new wave of Covid-19 infections, spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant, triggering calls for protests from Paris to Barcelona.
As case numbers escalated, alarmed ministers in France and Austria tightened travel restrictions. Paris cancelled its New Year’s Eve fireworks. Denmark closed theatres, concert halls, amusement parks and museums. Ireland imposed an 8 pm curfew on pubs and bars and limited attendance at indoor and outdoor events.
In the UK, where confirmed daily infection soared to records this week, the government has already reimposed a requirement for masks to be worn indoors and ordered people to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test when going to night clubs and large events.
Britain and other nations are also accelerating the pace of booster shots after early data showed that two doses of the vaccine were less effective against the omicron variant. Shopping centres, cathedrals and soccer stadiums in Britain have been converted into mass vaccination centres.
In France, the government announced that it will start giving the vaccine to children in the 5 to 11 age group beginning Wednesday.