Coronavirus restrictions are set to end in Iceland as curbs wind down in Poland, Slovakia and Italy while authorities in Hong Kong plan compulsory testing for everyone in the territory.

The government of Iceland on Wednesday announced that it would be lifting all its remaining COVID-19 restrictions from Friday.

“We are getting our normal lives back,” Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir told journalists.

As well as domestic measures, restrictions on entry to the country are also due to be lifted on Friday.

“Widespread societal resistance to COVID-19 is the main route out of the epidemic,” the health ministry said in a statement, citing infectious disease authorities.

“To achieve this, as many people as possible need to be infected with the virus as the vaccines are not enough, even though they provide good protection against serious illness,” it added.

Iceland, with a population of 368,000 people, has registered between 2100 and 2800 daily infections recently. 

More than 115,000 infections have been logged throughout the epidemic and 60 have died due to COVID-19. 

Similarly, Poland’s government wants to lift most restrictions against the backdrop of falling infection rates.

From March 1, all economic restrictions will be lifted, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said in Warsaw on Wednesday. 

These include capacity restrictions in shopping centres, restaurants, hotels and recreational facilities.

The downward trend in new infections is very clear, Niedzielski said.

The only things that remain are the compulsory wearing of masks in public transport and indoors as well as a seven-day quarantine for infected persons.

The government of Slovakia also announced a further easing of curbs, meaning that almost all measures will be lifted in the country from Saturday.

From that day, sporting and cultural events will once again be accessible without proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test. 

Such entry requirements will also be dropped for restaurants.

Restrictions on group sizes will remain in some areas and people must continue to wear masks in indoor spaces and on public transport. 

An FFP2 mask must also be worn at major events outdoors if distancing of at least two metres is not possible.

Slovakia has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the European Union, at 49.8 per cent as of Wednesday.

The Italian government will end the COVID-19 state of emergency on March 31, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Wednesday, promising a gradual return to normal after more than two years of the health crisis.

Coronavirus cases and deaths have receded in recent weeks and the government has come under pressure from businesses and some political parties to roll back the restrictions that have been progressively introduced since early 2020.

“We will continue to closely monitor the pandemic situation, ready to intervene in case of an outbreak. But our goal is to reopen fully, as soon as possible,” Draghi said in a speech in Florence.

The state of emergency, which allows officials to impose rules via decrees, was established on January 31, 2020. 

The measure is due to expire at the end of next month and Draghi said it would not be renewed.

The so-called enhanced green health pass, which shows proof of vaccination or recent recovery and is needed to access many places, will be progressively phased out, starting with outdoor activities, Draghi said.

Hong Kong reported a record 8674 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday as authorities announced the toughest social restrictions since the pandemic began to combat the surge and as the city prepares for compulsory testing of residents.

From Thursday residents will have to show their vaccine record to access venues including supermarkets, malls and restaurants, wear masks for all outdoor exercise and they will not be allowed to remove masks to eat or drink on public transport.

Hong Kong is pursuing a “dynamic zero COVID” strategy similar to mainland China, aiming to eradicate any outbreaks at all costs instead of trying to live with the virus. 

The government said on Wednesday it wanted to “reduce the flow of people as much as possible”.

Health authorities reported 24 deaths, compared with Tuesday’s 32 deaths and 6211 new cases.

With bars, gyms and other businesses already closed and shopping malls deserted while many residents work from home, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that schools would break early for summer and resume the new year in August.

Parents reacted with dismay, saying they were concerned about their children’s education and mental health.

Some school campuses could be used for testing and isolation as mandatory checks for infections begin next month. 

Residents would need to test three times, with the city of 7.4 million able to test about one million people a day, Lam said. 

Many residents are feeling fatigued at the measures which are the most draconian since the start of the pandemic more than two years ago. 

AAP with reporting from DPA

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