‘Tide Is Turning’: Several EU Countries Scrap COVID Restrictions
Several European countries this week announced plans to ditch COVID restrictions, including masks, quarantine rules and capacity restrictions at indoor venues.
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Could COVID restrictions, at least in Europe, soon become a thing of the past?
“The tide is turning,” said comedian and political commentator Jimmy Dore. “People have had enough and they’re starting to lift COVID restrictions.”
During a recent segment of “The Jimmy Dore Show,” Dore noted that England, Ireland, Norway and Wales announced an easing or complete end to restrictions that have dictated many aspects of public life over the last two years.
Dore pointed to a recent article in the Associated Press (AP) on how England decided to lift almost all of its pandemic-related restrictions.
“Face masks will no longer be mandatory in public places and COVID-19 passports will be dropped for large events,” the AP reported, noting also the government is “no longer advising people to work from home, and compulsory face masks will be scrapped in secondary school classrooms” starting Jan 28.
“I’m moving to England,” joked Dore.
“We will trust the judgment of the British people and no longer criminalize anyone who chooses not to wear [a mask],” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
According to AP, Johnson and Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government is planning for a post-pandemic period when it can “treat COVID-19 more like the flu.”
“There will soon come a time when we can remove the legal requirement to self-isolate altogether, just as we don’t place legal obligations on people to isolate if they have flu,” Johnson said.
Dore said comparing COVID to the flu “would have gotten you kicked off YouTube a couple of months ago.”
Al Jazeera reported the Irish government is scrapping almost all of its COVID restrictions including forcing bars and restaurants to close early and capacity restrictions on indoor entertainment venues.
Mask requirements on Irish public transportation and shopping centers will be lifted next month.
Ireland’s Prime Minister Michaell Martin suggested the number of seriously ill people is well below the previous COVID peak because of booster shots.
“Maybe the number of seriously ill people is well below the previous peak because Omicron isn’t as serious?” Dore asked.
In Wales, the BBC reported, “more restrictions to people’s daily lives have been eased.”
The Welsh government lifted restrictions on pubs, restaurants and scrapped all limits on sporting events.
The government also set Jan. 28 as the date when nightclubs can reopen and “the rule of six,” or social distancing, will no longer be enforced.
Norway is also scrapping its strict traveler quarantine rules that applied to all travelers entering the country.
In Germany, the government has yet to lift any of its restrictions and is still pushing ahead with plans to make the COVID vaccine mandatory.
German newspaper Die Welt reported that because of government officials’ unwillingness to lift restrictions, they are facing growing citizen pushback in the form of thousands of different protests across the country.
“Never before in the history of the Federal Republic have there been demonstrations that are more widespread than in the last few weeks,” reported Die Welt.
Watch the Jimmy Dore Segment here:
