President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday night that France will impose a curfew from 9 to 6 p.m. on Saturday to be vigilant against the Kovid-19 virus.
The curfew will continue until at least December 1.
Macron presented an order to the cabinet to reinstate the state of emergency, which was declared on March 23 and raised on July 9.
The nine curfew zones are Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Grenoble, Lille, Montpellier, Rune, St. Etienne and Toulouse.
Public transportation and taxis will operate during curfew hours, with people authorized to work at night if necessary. Those who leave the gates after 9pm without cause will be fined $ 135 for the first offense and $ 1,500 for subsequent offenses.
“We are in the second wave,” Macron said. The virus is spreading all over Europe. Germany takes action. The situation in Spain and the Netherlands is worse than it is here. ”
Macron said 90 percent of the 33,037 corona virus deaths in France were over the age of 65. Currently, more than half of the patients in the intensive care unit are under 65 years of age.
Some victims experience long-term cardiovascular, digestive or other effects, Macron said. “We do not fully understand the virus. This is dangerous and serious for everyone. Currently, we see 20,000 new cases per day. Every day, 200 citizens enter the intensive care unit. ”
Macron said his goal is to reduce the number of new cases from 3,000 to 4,000 per day. “We can handle it,” he said.
Unbearable stress
One-third of beds in the French ICU are now Kovid patients, which creates unbearable stress, Macron said. Last spring, the virus was geographically limited and patients could be transported to unaffected areas, he said.
“Today, the virus is everywhere in France. There are no hidden reserves, ”Macron said. “Our medical staff is exhausted. We have no reserve beds. That is why we must take the most drastic measures. . . We hear people say, ‘Don’t rob me of my freedom.’ We are a country of citizens. If I don’t break, I endanger my father, mother and siblings. ”
Macron said working remotely is comfortable for those with homes in the country but difficult for people in small apartments with children. People should work remotely two or three days a week to ease traffic and stress on public transport.
After 9pm we don’t go to restaurants. We do not go to friends’ houses. We don’t go to parties, ”Macron said. He praised the “very responsible” Frenchmen during the lockdown last spring.
Macron defended himself against allegations that his strategy deceived citizens. “We are all actors in this fight against the virus,” he said. “We need general rules. It’s not babies. All our neighbors do it. ”
Travel
There were concerns that travel within France would be limited during the November All Saints holidays. It will not.
“Asking people to stay home and not take vacations is disproportionate,” Macron said, urging citizens to take the same precautions when visiting relatives: masks, social isolation, and gestures of affection. He advised them to ventilate the closed spaces three to 10 times a day and to abide by the “Six Rule”.
Macron expressed sympathy for the French youth. “It will be difficult to reach 20 in 2020,” he said. Youngsters canceled the exam. They are anxious about training and finding their first job. “When you were younger, it was common to party with friends. We ask them to see each other less, for a few weeks or months. ”
Macron said France currently conducts 1.2 to 1.4 million Covid-19 tests per day. He admitted that he had been waiting a long time for tests and results, but said that this was going to change as the new tests would give results within half an hour and there would be home test kits similar to pregnancy.
On October 22, France will release a new version of the failed Stop Covid tracing application.
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