Part of Europe, including France, will find its stores this weekend, reassured by the ebb of the coronavirus, but in the United States where the epidemic is not weakening, the authorities in Los Angeles have banned most of the private or public gatherings.
“All public and private gatherings of individuals not belonging to the same household are prohibited, with the exception of religious services and demonstrations”, for a period of three weeks from Monday, November 30, the authorities announced on Friday. from the largest city in California.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the situation seems, on the other hand, to be improving to the point of encouraging the authorities to relax the pressure. All stores will reopen in France on Saturday, a relief for thousands of traders as Christmas approaches.
“We are very, very happy”, rejoiced on Wednesday Sophie Patteuw, director of a toy store in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, in the North, ready to reopen its doors after “a big tidying up”. Shops will be able to reopen until 9 p.m. (8 p.m. GMT), curfew requires, and will have to respect a strict health protocol.
In Poland, shopping centers reopen on Saturday. Irish and Belgians will have to wait until Tuesday to find their traders, but in these two countries, the ebb of the epidemic is confirmed.
“The efforts and sacrifices of each of us have worked. Lives have been saved ”, congratulated Prime Minister Micheal Martin on Irish public broadcaster RTE.
“The situation in our country is improving (…), but it is important to stay the course,” said his Belgian counterpart Alexander de Croo.
And, as of Sunday, three new regions in Italy will lift their restrictions, allowing non-essential businesses to reopen. But in these regions, Lombardy (north), Piedmont (north-west) and Calabria (south), bars and restaurants will remain closed, just like in France or Belgium.