The government has decided to further relax the current covid laws. Cabinet proposals include allowing bars and restaurants to open until 10pm rather than 6pm.

Prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP) announced the new measures on Wednesday afternoon. If passed by parliament next week, they will come into effect on 16 May and will be valid until 12 June.

Establishments will also be permitted to host diners indoors again, though they will have to undergo a rapid test, and up to four people will be allowed to sit at a table. Some 500,000 rapid tests will be distributed to restaurants, bars and hospitality venues.

Up to 150 people will be allowed to attend events, with larger gatherings of up to 1,000 permitted under even stricter prevention conditions and with special dispensation of the health authorities.

To accommodate the extended opening hours, the start of the nightly curfew will be pushed back to midnight from 11pm. It will still end at 6am.

Bettel said that 31,200 people aged between 30 and 54 registered for the AstraZeneca vaccine waiting list. A further 20,000 have registered to be called up to receive left-over vaccine doses.

Health minister Paulette Lenert (LSAP) explained that 727 people who had received a first vaccine shot had become infected with coronavirus, and a further 217 had tested positive after getting their second jab.