The exemption will begin from the evening of December 31 and will last until 6.00 a.m. on January 2.

Aab said Estonia's coronavirus infection numbers have plateaued. The government's scientific council and Health Board have recommended restrictions to continue to be imposed.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has reached Estonia and is spreading, which means the government cannot ease the restriction permanently.

"This exemption does not mean the coronavirus will not spread on those two nights. I call on everyone who decides to spend New Year's Eve at a public place to act responsibly to protect themselves and others. Getting a booster dose is very important, because studies show it increases protection against the Omicron strain significantly," Kallas said.

On Wednesday, Tallinn Kesklinn district government announced that a €15,000 seven-minute fireworks display will take place at Tallinn's Inglirand Beach on December 31. It will be possible to see the display across the city, from the center of Tallinn to Pirita, so there is no reason to cluster in a small area, the council said in a statement.

Editor's note: This article was updated with comments from Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

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