French Prime Minister Jean Castex said Thursday that France will end audience capacity limits for concert halls, sporting matches and other events from February 2, part of a gradual lifting of Covid-19 restrictions made possible by a vaccine pass that will be required for most public areas starting Monday. Face masks will also no longer be required outside from February 2.
Castex justified the easing of restrictions with France’s new Covid-19 vaccination pass that will come into effect on Monday, January 24, provided it gets approved by the Constitutional Council.
Working from home will also no longer be required for eligible employees from February 2. While work-from-home can be effective in terms of reducing the circulation of the virus, it can also have a negative impact on the broader economy as large swathes of the population stay away from commercial districts and shops.