CovidCheck is being abolished in almost all areas of life, excluding hospitals, care homes and prison Photo: Guy Wolff/Maison Moderne

CovidCheck is being abolished in almost all areas of life, excluding hospitals, care homes and prison Photo: Guy Wolff/Maison Moderne

Lawmakers on Friday unanimously voted to lift most covid-19 restrictions in Luxembourg but warned that the pandemic isn’t over with a vaccine mandate still under discussion.

The government on 4 March had proposed dropping most covid-19 restrictions, including the CovidCheck regime in the leisure and hospitality sector, and parliament on 11 March confirmed the decision.

“Society has been waiting for this day,” said Josée Lorsché (déi Gréng).

The remaining rules include a mask mandate on public transport and in hospitals and care homes. The 3G CovidCheck system will remain in place for staff, suppliers and visitors to hospitals and care homes as well as prison. People testing positive will still have to isolate until they self-test negative two days in a row.

These rules come into effect on Friday evening and are set to remain in place until 30 June unless the government decides to take further action before then. Event organisers can, however, choose to uphold stricter rules, the law states.

But members of parliament warned that the lifting of restrictions does not mean that the pandemic is over.

Potential rebound

The covid-19 task force has warned of a potential rebound of infections in the autumn as immunity wanes. As the virus continues to mutate, new variants could also cause infections to spike again.

The CSV said the government should use this time to analyse the effectiveness of the measures taken over the last two years to help determine the best steps forward, a process that health minister Paulette Lenert (LSAP) said is ongoing.

A vaccine mandate for over 50s and healthcare staff--recommended by an expert council last year--isn’t off the table either. “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best,” Lorsché said, adding that the bill should be prepared, even if it isn’t voted in the end.

The government meanwhile faced criticism over its decision to close all vaccination centres, including pop-up sites, except the location at Victor Hugo hall in Limpertsberg starting mid-April as lawmakers said efforts must continue to improve the vaccination rate.

The health directorate in a meeting with MPs had cited high operating costs amid low turnout as reasons for the closures. A vaccination bus will continue operating and doctors and pharmacies can also administer jabs.

Lenert warned that “we don’t know what to expect” over the coming months and added that the government would act quickly if needs must.

The covid-19 law passed on Friday was the first to be voted unanimously.