France and Greece eases COVID-19 restrictions, returns to normalcy

Several European countries are slowly beginning to loosen COVID-19 restrictions, even as disease rates and intensive care occupancy remain high in many cases.

In France, a domestic travel ban was lifted on Monday as small and high school students returned to school for the first time in a month.

But a night-time curfew remained in place while the outdoor terraces of France's cafes and restaurants won't be permitted to reopen until May 19 along with galleries, cinemas, theatres and concert halls --under some conditions.

France is reaching about 22,000 new confirmed cases each day, down from about 40,000 earlier this month. 5,585 patients were still in intensive care on Sunday.

In Greece, several limitations which have been in effect since November ended on Monday, with eateries and cafes left to serve customers outside. Tourism-related businesses as well as services are set to start running again on May 15. Hungary on Saturday issued several COVID-19 restrictions for people with government-issued license cards. Individuals with special cards may enter indoor dining rooms, hotels, theatres, cinemas, spas, gyms, libraries, archives and other recreational venues.

Opening hours for businesses were extended to 11 pm and a late curfew in place since November will now start later, at midnight.