Emmanuel Macron has announced a three-week nationwide school closure and a month-long domestic travel ban to fight the rapid spread of coronavirus.
In a televised address to the nation this evening, the French President said efforts are needed as ‘the epidemic is accelerating’.
He said nursery, elementary and high schools would be closed for the next three weeks and that a nationwide 7pm-6am curfew will remain in place.
Macron described the measures as ‘reinforced breaking’ to curb the spread of the virus, with daily infections doubling to 40,000 since February.
With more than 5,000 Covid patients in intensive care, tougher restrictions in France were seen as unavoidable.
The move is a departure from the government’s policy in recent months, which has focused on regionalised restrictions. School closures in particular had been seen as a very last resort.
A debate is scheduled in parliament tomorrow that will address the virus situation and the new measures.
The key factor behind the move is how busy the nation’s hospitals are, Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said after Macron’s weekly coronavirus strategy meeting.
He added: ‘One thing is clear: France will not refuse care for any sick patients. Choosing patients is not an option.’
After an overnight shift at an ICU in the northern French city of Amiens, Dr. Pauline Caillard described growing numbers of patients and growing strain on medical staff.
Players booed while taking the knee ahead of England vs Austria
She said the situation was ‘moving very fast’ and that she hopes her team don’t ‘have to make choices’ between patients.
Short of a full lockdown, Macron is running out of alternatives to make a major dent in the renewed surge of infections that has led to growing questions about his government’s virus strategies.
An overnight nationwide curfew has been in place since January, and all France’s restaurants, bars, gyms, cinemas and museums have been closed since October.
In Paris and other regions where the virus is spreading rapidly, residents already have extra restrictions on movement and nonessential stores are closed.