The majority of Austria’s Covid restrictions are due to be lifted by 5 March, according to Chancellor Karl Nehammer, including the reopening of nightclubs and scrapping a midnight closing time for bars and restaurants.

However, the Austrian government said the measures were being taken with caution, with daily new cases hovering under their all-time high, and the situation in hospitals under control due to fewer severe cases of the Omicron variant.

The relaxing of restrictions due to Omicron being less serious than previous variants will raise further doubts as to whether the government will introduce a recently passed law making Covid vaccination mandatory, the first measure of its kind in the European Union.

However, the law due to be implemented on 15 March, has done little to increase one of the lowest vaccination rates in western Europe, Reuters reports.

"On March 5 the bulk of the restrictions that so burden people will be lifted," Nehammer said at a news conference.

It was recently announced by the government that unvaccinated people will be permitted to return to restaurants and non-essential shops if they have been tested. The Chancellor added that proof of testing, recovery or vaccination would also be eradicated, and capacity limits on events would be relaxed by 5 March.

The country’s nine provinces can make a decision whether to uphold tougher restrictions than those enforced by the federal government.

Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein said the general requirement to enter Austria will be relaxed from proof of a booster jab to proof of vaccination, recovery or a recent test.

The Chancellor added that in regard to the vaccine mandate, a committee of health and constitutional law experts will assess its suitability, and report to the government before 15 March.