PARIS • France will start easing its Covid-19 lockdown this weekend so that by Christmas, shops, theatres and cinemas will reopen and people will be able to spend the holiday with their families, President Emmanuel Macron said.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Mr Macron said the worst of the second wave of the pandemic in France was over, but that restaurants, cafes and bars would have to stay shut until Jan 20 to avoid triggering a third wave. "We must do everything to avoid a third wave, do everything to avoid a third lockdown," he said.

After curfews in major French cities in mid-October failed to produce the results hoped for, the government imposed a one-month lockdown on Oct 30.

Positive trends, including a decline in Covid-19 hospitalisations, combined with pressure from business lobbies who say they are facing financial ruin, have led to calls to start loosening the lockdown as soon as possible.

Mr Macron's government is keen to stress to people they should expect only a gradual reopening of the economy.

On Saturday, shops will reopen but people will still need a document to venture out. They will be allowed to exercise for three hours instead of one, and within a 20km radius of their homes, versus the 1km allowed now.

In mid-December, the lockdown will be lifted if the number of new cases has fallen to around 5,000 a day, Mr Macron said, but a curfew would be imposed from 9pm.

The President said people will be free to travel across the country to see their loved ones during the end-of-year holiday and leave home to socialise on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, despite the 9pm curfew. But no public gatherings will be allowed and ski resorts will not reopen before January.

"The Christmas holidays won't be the same as before, that's for sure," Mr Macron said.

France will be ready to start a vaccination campaign at the end of next month or the beginning of January, Mr Macron said, starting with the most vulnerable and older people.

The vaccine, which he called "a glimmer of hope", will not be mandatory, he said.​

The government is treading carefully on a future vaccination programme, aware that the French, following a series of public health scandals in recent decades, have some of the lowest levels of trust in vaccines in the world.

An Ipsos poll for the World Economic Forum showed only 59 per cent of French respondents said they would get a Covid-19 vaccine if it became available, compared with 67 per cent in the United States and 85 per cent in Britain.

Over in Britain, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all agreed to relax Covid-19 restrictions for Christmas to allow up to three households to meet at home for five days.

Three households will be able to form a "Christmas bubble", allowing them to meet up at home, places of worship and outdoor public places but not in indoor hospitality or entertainment venues from Dec 23 to 27.

"People want to be with their loved ones and those close to them for what is the most important holiday of the year," senior minister Michael Gove said on Tuesday.

Limits on travel will also be scrapped so that people can meet up, with an additional day on either side for those going to and from Northern Ireland.

A national lockdown in England is due to end next week after which different parts of the country will face varying restrictions as part of a tiered system announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

A decision is expected later this week on which areas will fall into the different categories.

"The virus won't take time off, so please be cautious," said Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. "If you can, stay at home with your own household."

In Germany, the country reported a record 410 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, before the 16 federal state leaders and Chancellor Angela Merkel were due to meet yesterday to discuss restrictions for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Saxony's Premier Michael Kretschmer warned of a collapse of medical care in the coming weeks.

"The situation in the hospitals is worrying... We cannot guarantee medical care at this high level (of infections)," he told MDR radio.

The federal states were yesterday expected to decide to extend the "lockdown light" until Dec 20. This will keep bars, restaurants and entertainment venues shut while schools and shops stay open.

They also plan to reduce the number of people allowed to meet to five from Dec 1, but allow gatherings of up to 10 people over Christmas and New Year to let families and friends celebrate together, a draft proposal showed on Tuesday.

REUTERS