Coronavirus: Europe finally turns page on pandemic as cafes and beer gardens reopen

Authorities across the continent are loosening restrictions as infection rates fall and vaccinations rise

But with the threat of new strains like the one from India, risks remain

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People sit at the terrace of Paris’ landmark Cafe de Flore on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:01pm, 19 May 2021Updated: 9:01pm, 19 May 2021

Europe is waking up from the coronavirus pandemic with cafes in Paris, gelato vendors in Rome and beer gardens in Bavaria reopening, a major test for the region’s recovery in health and economic terms.

Authorities across the continent are loosening restrictions as infection rates fall and vaccinations rise. Italy, the original epicentre of the crisis in Europe, will phase out its national curfew in the coming weeks, and tough curbs are gradually easing across Germany. In France, restaurants can serve outdoor guests beginning on Wednesday, and museums, including the Louvre, plan to welcome visitors again.

As Parisian cafes – including Ernest Hemingway’s former hang-out Les Deux Magots – prepare, the famed Moulin Rouge got in on the excitement this week, sending can-can dancers onto the streets to promote the cabaret’s planned reopening in September by displaying the date on the underside of their skirts.

Despite the exuberance, there’s still a pall hanging over the region, which has suffered relapses more than once in its effort to beat Covid-19. As a new contagious variant that originated in India spreads rapidly elsewhere, measures to contain the disease will remain visible.

In Berlin, testing will be required to dine outside at restaurants, which can reopen on Friday, and Parisian street life will be less bustling than before the pandemic.

Coronavirus: Europe finally turns page on pandemic as cafes and beer gardens reopen

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Authorities across the continent are loosening restrictions as infection rates fall and vaccinations rise But with the threat of new strains like the one from India, risks remain

Authorities across the continent are loosening restrictions as infection rates fall and vaccinations rise

But with the threat of new strains like the one from India, risks remain