European nations tighten social curbs as Omicron surge continues

BRUSSELS • Days before Christmas, many European countries are imposing new social restrictions, mask mandates and travel rules as Omicron drives the continent's infection rates to their highest levels since the pandemic began.

An average of 51 daily cases per 100,000 people is being recorded in Europe, the most of any continent.

Germany, Sweden, Portugal and Scotland have ordered tighter restrictions on gatherings as the coronavirus variant continues its march across Europe. Dr Hans Kluge, the World Health Organisation's (WHO) European head, warned on Tuesday of a storm that Omicron would bring, "pushing already stretched health systems further to the brink".

In Germany, state governors and Chancellor Olaf Scholz met to discuss, among other things, keeping critical infrastructure - including police, firefighters and medical services - functioning in the face of a likely Omicron surge.

Germany's leaders on Tuesday limited private New Year's parties to 10 people and banned spectators from football games to stem the spread of Omicron. Mr Scholz said the country was facing "a fifth wave" as the virus variant sweeps the globe.

"We are all tired of the pandemic, but that doesn't help us, we must once again stand together," Mr Scholz said as he announced the new measures that will affect the vaccinated as well as the unvaccinated.

From Dec 28, Germany will close nightclubs and dance venues, he added. The country had already announced a ban on firework sales for the second year to discourage revellers.

Swedish officials warned that a surge of infections driven by the variant would continue rising until mid-January. Sweden's public health agency also released new forecasts which suggested that, under a worst-case scenario, in which vaccinations afford the least protection against being infected with Omicron, the country could see 15,000 daily infections in mid-January, far higher than previous peaks.

Sweden's new rules include a cap of 50 people for private gatherings and instructions that most people should work from home.

Denmark announced on Tuesday that it had recorded 13,558 cases in the previous 24 hours, a daily record.

The government of Portugal said on Tuesday that it was reintroducing a raft of lockdown restrictions to respond to another surge in coronavirus cases.

Scotland announced limits on crowds at large events for three weeks, beginning the day after Christmas, and ordered bars and restaurants to serve only seated patrons in order to limit social contact.

The rules in effect mean that professional sporting events will take place without spectators, following a similar announcement made by the government of Wales.

Omicron is now the dominant variant in Scotland, just as it is in London, the epicentre of the virus surge in Britain, where daily case totals have set records.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that he would not introduce new restrictions in England before Christmas, but the situation remained extremely difficult and the government might need to act afterwards.

In France, Health Minister Olivier Veran said yesterday that the country could soon see 100,000 new Covid-19 cases a day due to the rapid spread of Omicron, but the government does not plan to introduce new restrictions for the time being.

President Emmanuel Macron is counting on an accelerated vaccine booster programme to keep the virus in check.

Dr Veran said he expected that 22 million to 23 million booster doses will have been administered by Christmas, up from 20 million as at yesterday.

"The objective is not to reduce the speed of the virus' spread because the variant is too contagious. The objective is to limit the risk of serious cases overwhelming hospitals," Dr Veran told BFM TV.

"This is why we are moving fast on booster shots."

Meanwhile, Finland said it will require negative Covid-19 tests from passengers arriving from European Union countries, showing how fears about the fast-spreading variant have disrupted the bloc's efforts to coordinate entry rules.

Finland's decision aligns the Nordic country with Italy and Greece, which have also imposed unilateral rules that go further than an EU system that relies on a digital Covid-19 certificate.

NYTIMES, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS