Coronavirus pandemic in France: Macron extends limited lockdown to all of France for 4 weeks

Coronavirus pandemic in France: Macron extends limited lockdown to all of France for 4 weeks

Paris and other northern regions of France had already seen restrictions on movement non-esssential shops closed. But now President Macron says they should apply to the whole country as he shutters school as well.

France had already seen restrictions on movement; Video!!

French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a third lockdown across the country on Wednesday as a fresh wave of coronavirus infections looks set to overrun its hospitals.

Speaking in a televised address, Macron said the British variant was creating "a pandemic inside a pandemic" that was more "contagious" and "more deadly."

"Soon, nearly 100,000 families will be in mourning," he said, referring to France's climbing coronavirus death rate. "We will lose control if we do not move now ... we are entering a race."

French Prime Minister Jean Castex will debate the measures in parliament on Thursday.

What measures has Macron announced?

In his live televised address on Wednesday, Mr Macron described the situation in the country as "delicate" and said that April would prove crucial. "We will lose control if we do not move now," he said.

The 43-year-old president said it was a race between vaccinations on the one hand and attempting to control the spread of the virus on the other.

He said that while schools would be closing from next week, classes would remain open for the children of key workers.

Mr Macron said that measures introduced in 19 districts earlier this month - including the closure of non-essential businesses, exercise restricted to within 10km of an individual's home and a ban on travel to other parts of the country without a valid reason - would be extended nationwide.

"Everyone should limit their contacts with other people," he said, adding that people would be given the Easter weekend to get themselves to where they want to spend the lockdown.

France's nationwide 19:00 curfew will remain in place and people are again being asked to work from home.

The president said "the end of the tunnel" was in sight if people respected the new measures.

Parliament will debate the measures announced by Mr Macron before voting on them on Thursday, according to the prime minister's office.

What measures has Macron announced?

In his live televised address on Wednesday, Mr Macron described the situation in the country as "delicate" and said that April would prove crucial. "We will lose control if we do not move now," he said.

The 43-year-old president said it was a race between vaccinations on the one hand and attempting to control the spread of the virus on the other.

He said that while schools would be closing from next week, classes would remain open for the children of key workers.

Mr Macron said that measures introduced in 19 districts earlier this month - including the closure of non-essential businesses, exercise restricted to within 10km of an individual's home and a ban on travel to other parts of the country without a valid reason - would be extended nationwide.

"Everyone should limit their contacts with other people," he said, adding that people would be given the Easter weekend to get themselves to where they want to spend the lockdown.

France's nationwide 19:00 curfew will remain in place and people are again being asked to work from home.

The president said "the end of the tunnel" was in sight if people respected the new measures.

Parliament will debate the measures announced by Mr Macron before voting on them on Thursday, according to the prime minister's office.

What about elsewhere in Europe?

In Germany, the leaders of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg, the country's worst hit states, have called for tougher restrictions, saying the situation was worse than initially thought. The city of Hamburg is to introduce a night curfew on Friday.

Spain is to revisit a new law implemented on Wednesday that requires face masks to be worn in outdoor spaces - including beaches and swimming pools - amid mounting criticism over the move.

Authorities in Portugal say they aim to vaccinate all members of priority groups with at least one Covid-19 jab by 11 April. The head of the national coronavirus taskforce told parliament that the focus would be on care home residents, people aged 80 and over and those aged 50 and over with underlying conditions.

A court in the Czech Republic has struck down the requirement for Czech citizens returning from blacklisted countries to test negative before leaving, arguing that tests can be carried out on arrival.

Poland on Wednesday registered its highest daily Covid death toll this year, with 653 fatalities. The country has recorded a total of 53,045 coronavirus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, experts investigating possible links between the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots have so far found no specific risk factors, such as age, gender or medical history, European Union regulators have said. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), however, said that analysis was continuing.