Thursday. 28.03.2024
Estonia is cautiously relaxing its coronavirus restrictions in light of falling infection rates, the government in Tallinn said on Tuesday.

Under the plan, which is due to be approved on Thursday, shops will be allowed to reopen under strict conditions from 3 May, while gastronomy will be able to serve customers on outdoor terraces and museums will able to receive visitors again.

Events indoors will still be prohibited. However, training in sports halls will again be permitted subject to certain conditions. People will be allowed to do outdoor sports and pursue other outdoor hobbies in groups of up to 10 people as early as 26 April.

One restrictions that is to remain in place is that no more than two people may be together at one time and they must keep a distance of at least 2 metres from other people.

Estonia, with its 1.2 million inhabitants, imposed a lockdown in March. Gastronomic establishments and all shops have been closed since then, and schools have switched to distance learning.

"As we approach summer, life will hopefully gradually return to normal," Public Administration Minister Jaak Aab said.

In Estonia, a total of more than 118,000 coronavirus cases have been recorded since the pandemic began. More than 1,100 people died from or as a result of the virus.

Estonia to relax Covid restrictions amid falling infection rate