More than 18 million French people, including the inhabitants of the Paris region, will again be confined from Friday and for a month, with more flexible terms than in previous confinements, the government announced Thursday, facing the acceleration of the epidemic in France.
After the opinion of the European Medicines Agency, France will also resume vaccination with AstraZeneca, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced at a press conference, specifying that he would be vaccinated himself on Friday. .
“New massive braking measures for the epidemic will take place from this Friday evening midnight, and for 4 weeks”, in 16 departments, including Paris and its region, announced Mr. Castex, as France approaches the bar 100,000 deaths from COVID, and that “the progression of the epidemic is accelerating markedly”.
He said, however, that schools would remain open, as well as businesses selling “basic necessities”, including booksellers.
“With regard to travel outside the home, in particular to be able to ventilate, to walk, to play sports, they will be supervised but according to more flexible rules than in March and last November”, during the first two confinements in France, he stressed. But travel between regions will be prohibited.
The curfew, currently in effect from 5:00 p.m. GMT, will be pushed back to 6:00 p.m. GMT.
“We are adopting a third way, a way which should make it possible to slow down without locking up”, he insisted, describing “essential”, “balanced” and “territorialized” measures.