Paris, Nice, and many more French regions move into full lockdown for a month amid rising COVID-19 infections, Prime Minister Jean Castex mentioned on Thursday.
Sixteen areas within the nation known as départements will move to lockdown from Friday amid the 3rd wave of infections including the entirety of the region île-de-France, including Paris, and the northern region of the nation.
The Alpes-Maritimes region, where Nice is located, will also be locked down. Travel from the areas in a lockdown will be banned.
In areas under lockdown, schools will stay open but high schools can be limited to half capacity as part of the measures. Non-essential shops will have to shut while bookstores will be allowed to remain open in areas that are under lockdown.
During the lockdown, individuals will be able to walk around and play sports without any time limits but will have to have a justification form and remain within 10 kilometers of their homes.
Nationally, France will move their curfew from 6 pm to 7 pm this Saturday. Castex mentioned individuals should continue to stay vigilant, however.
Citing research from the Institut Pasteur, Castex mentioned that 29% of cases were at work. He mentioned that half of the contaminations at work were due to individuals going to work while symptomatic. He implored that people work from home for at least 4 days out of five.
The French PM mentioned the situation had worsened considerably within the nation, with the UK variant now representing nearly 75% of cases.
Younger and healthier people are being admitted to intensive care, where they are being hospitalized for longer periods of time, he mentioned.
Castex mentioned the virus acceleration looked like a “third wave” as the nation approaches nearly 100,000 deaths due to COVID-19.
“Living with the virus is to not forget that it can contact anyone at any time. However it’s to live all the same, and we can with masks, with preventative measures…physical distancing and by aerating rooms,” health minister Olivier Véran mentioned.
