A public health emergency will once again come into effect across France from Saturday 17 October. President Emmanuel Macron announced a curfew for the capital region and eight major cities.
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President Emmanuel Macron announced tougher corona measures during a television interview. “We have not lost control,” Macron declared. ‘We are in a situation that is alarming, but where we should not panic, but must intervene. We know the virus, it kills and especially affects the weakest. ‘
According to the president, the virus is everywhere at the moment. ‘That’s why we have to take extra measures.’ According to him, the aim is to slow down the virus, among other things by limiting ‘the most dangerous’ social contacts.
The president announced a curfew between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. for multiple cities. These are the Ile-de-France region (including Paris), Lille, Rouen, Saint-Etienne, Toulouse, Lyon, Grenoble, Aix and Montpellier. Whoever comes out afterwards must have a good reason. Violators risk a fine of 135 euros. The curfew starts on Saturday. Initially, it applies for four weeks, but may be extended by another two weeks. In those regions, all theaters, cafes and restaurants must close at 9 pm.
Schools, shops and other services will not be closed. Traveling between the different regions in France is still allowed, and public transport will also continue to function. Teleworking will not be mandatory. That is not self-evident for everyone, he said. ‘This quickly becomes very difficult for those who live in an apartment with children at home.’
In the rest of France, the basic rules continue to apply, such as keep your distance, wear a face mask if necessary and wash your hands. The president also spoke of “a rule of six.” ‘We recommend inviting only 6 friends home and walking on the street with a maximum of 6 people, but we are not going to lay down that in a law.’
“The goal is to keep the economy running, to be able to operate, and to keep schools and universities open,” said Macron, pledging aid to the affected sectors. The French president also announced that a new corona app ‘Tous AntiCovid’ will be released. The current app ‘Stop Covid’ was barely downloaded, according to him.
State of emergency
France had already declared a state of emergency during the first wave. But that measure was withdrawn on July 10. Corona numbers in France are rising rapidly, forcing the government to take new measures.
“Given its spread in national territory, the Covid-19 epidemic constitutes a health disaster that, by its nature and severity, endangers the health of the population,” said a report by the Council of Ministers.
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