Slovakia plans to gradually ease most virus restrictions

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia is planning to gradually ease most coronavirus restrictions despite a current record surge of infections caused by the highly transmittable omicron variant. The prime minister said Wednesday that people will soon have access to stores, shopping malls, various public gatherings and services, including bars and restaurants, without any restrictions. They won’t have to present any certificate that they have been vaccinated, recovered from COVID-19 or tested negative for the coronavirus. Those restrictive measures should be lifted by the end of February, but an exact date wasn’t announced. The government is also planning to ease limits on the numbers of people attending various public events and gatherings and most other remaining restrictions a month later.