Status: 03/18/2021 9:39 p.m.
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The corona numbers in parts of France are climbing rapidly again. This is forcing the government to tighten measures again. A total of 16 regions are affected, including the greater Paris area.
Weekly incidence of more than 400 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants, number of intensive care patients at a record high: Because of the sharp rise in corona numbers, France has imposed a new lockdown on the greater Paris area. Other parts of the country are also affected by the tightened measures.
From Saturday, all shops for non-daily needs will have to close there and there will be tightened exit restrictions again. The regulations should initially apply for four weeks, said French Prime Minister Jean Castex. That is the time it takes to achieve an effect. Around 20 million of the 67 million people living in the country are affected by the tougher measures. However, these are significantly less strict than in the case of exit restrictions in the past.
Ten kilometer radius for excursions
The new rules apply in 16 departments – in addition to the greater Paris area, this includes a number of areas in the north and the Alpes-Maritimes department with its Mediterranean metropolis Nice. Despite the closure of the shops, book and music shops are allowed to remain open here. Schools should also remain open, but there should be restrictions for the upper grades. Excursions outdoors are unlimited in time, but only allowed within a ten kilometer radius.
“These measures could be extended to other parts of the country,” warned Castex. In the past there was a time limit for being in the fresh air – for leisure activities this was often one hour a day.
British virus variant as the cause
In the greater Paris area and other areas, the corona situation had recently deteriorated significantly. Patients were taken to hospitals in other parts of the country because there was a lack of capacity in the intensive care units. In the greater Paris area, the number of intensive care patients even exceeded the high of the second wave in November, according to Castex. The number of new corona infections per 100,000 inhabitants within a week had recently climbed to around 450.
“We know the cause of this third wave: the arrival of the so-called British variant, which now accounts for almost three quarters of infections,” said Castex, referring to the situation in the country. A strict curfew from 6 p.m. has been in effect throughout France for weeks. Its start is now pushed back to 7 p.m. People are then only allowed to go outside in exceptional cases. Since the pandemic began, more than 91,000 people have died in connection with the coronavirus in France.
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