France will within two weeks unveil a plan to progressively lift restrictions on travel and business that aimed to contain the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Sunday.

The lockdown is expected to start getting lifted on May 11, but Philippe said "our lives won't be exactly the same as before."

"Not right away, and probably not before long," he noted.

Countries across Europe are considering lifting their lockdowns, having witnessed a slowing down in new COVID-19 infections and deaths.

Germany plans to start allowing some smaller stores to start serving customers this week, while schools are expected to gradually reopen in early May.

France has been on lockdown since March 17, and President Emmanuel Macron said in an address to the nation on Monday that the confinement measures would be extended to May 11.

Source(s): Bloomberg