France's Macron to give address as coronavirus epidemic worsens

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France's Macron to give address as coronavirus epidemic worsens

 

FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron chairs a meeting with the medical staff of the Rene Dubos hospital center, in Pontoise, in the Val d'Oise, France October 23, 2020, as the country faces a new wave of infections to the COVID-19. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS

 

PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron will give a televised address on Wednesday evening, his office said, as French authorities explore fresh restrictions to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

 

The Elysee palace did not say what Macron's address would be about, but such televised statements have in the past been the occasion to announce new anti-virus measures during eight months of pandemic.

 

The French leader has held meetings to review the state of the epidemic in recent days.

 

The French government has been exploring bringing in a national lockdown from midnight on Thursday, BFM TV reported, albeit a slightly more flexible one than the two-month shutdown that began in mid-March.

 

Schools could remain open even as restrictions on people's movements become more severe, BFM TV added.

 

Sources familiar with the government's thinking told Reuters earlier this week that options being envisaged for some areas included confining people to their homes at weekends, closing non-essential shops and starting curfew measures earlier.

 

France imposed a daily curfew on major cities two weeks ago that runs from 9:00 p.m. (1900 GMT) to 6:00 a.m.

 

Macron's office declined to comment on whether he would announce a generalised lockdown on Wednesday.

 

France's government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Tuesday that the number of COVID-19 patients in French intensive care units could reach in two weeks the same level as during the peak of the first wave in April without new measures.

 

The country reported 523 new deaths from coronavirus over the past 24 hours, the highest daily toll since April 22, health ministry data showed on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Michel Rose and Sarah White; editing by Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-28

 

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[nobodysfriend]

The ' War against Covid ' is lost already it seems .

There will be no other way than keeping the economy open . Virus or not . People need to have a life they can make money , enjoy , go shopping ,

make parties etc ... The Virus shows no signs of fading , but people show clearly that the do not want the restrictions any more ...

So , let them do , open the restaurants and bars , go back to the 'old ' normal ... Who does not like to take a risk , just stays home and wears masks etc ... If somebody is really worried about the spread of the Virus , needs to isolate and behave in a way that reduces the risks of becoming infected  . Wearing masks in public should become obligatory and fined if not .

The restrictions will lead to social unrest if kept up for a long time .

[from the home of CC]

With the latest terror attack now France has a two fronts to deal with - and both could of been avoided or mitigated...

[sirocco]

The last attack? which?
 the one this morning, in NICE, in the Notre Dame Basilica, where a terrorist killed 3 people and injured others ????