The French government has put the Paris region on high alert against the virus, banning festive gatherings and forcing all bars to close, but allowing restaurants to remain open as the number of infections increases rapidly.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Tuesday that the government was in a position to do more in the bar and restaurant sector, one of the tops affected by the pandemic, and told Franceinfo radio that the new main points could be revealed next week. .
As of Tuesday, bars in and around Paris will be closed and student parties and other festive occasions and family circle occasions will be prohibited in establishments open to the public.
Paris police prefect Didier Lallement announced monday that the new restrictions would apply for at least the next two weeks. “We are adapting to the truth of the virus. We’re taking steps to stop (its spread),” he said.
The French government bars as main sources of contagion because consumers do not respect both social distance regulations and restaurants.
Restaurants will remain open under strict conditions. They come with a minimum distance of one meter between the table, equipment limited to six other people instead of 10 previously, and a request to sign customers’ names and phone numbers to help alert those who may have been exposed to a user with coronavirus.
Indoor sports facilities, in addition to swimming pools, will be open to young people under 18 years of age. The gyms are already closed.
The government has kept the 1000-seat limit in line with the day at primary events, consistent with allowing the Roland Garros tennis tournament to continue as planned this week.
The owner of a Parisian restaurant north of the Bastille was relieved that the measures only meant moderate limitations on places to eat, and even saw a ray of hope.
“I’m relieved to have to close and the regulations to be stricter,” said Virgil Grunberg, owner of Square Gardette.
“It’s even worse for bars because they’re going to be closed, so other people are going on to want to want a drink and pass out,” Grunberg said. “So I think (customers) might not fear the new restrictions. “
The alert has already been raised to the maximum for 12 days in the southern town of Marseille and near Aix-en-Provence, as well as in the French territory of Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean.
France, one of Europe’s most affected countries, has reported 32,299 virus-like deaths since the onset of the pandemic, and the cumulative number of cases exceeds 624,000.
Impact warning
In the UK, studies through foreign law firm Baker and McKenzie have shown that the combination of pandemic and possible departure from the country from the European Union without an agreement with industry can charge the UK up to $174 billion in GDP LOST per year for next year. Decade.
Britain officially left the EU at the end of January, us initiating a transitional era that will last until the end of 2020, at which point the two sides were expected to conclude an industry-of-choice agreement. Weeks later, the pandemic erupted, transforming the global political landscape and putting national economies and infrastructure under unprecedented pressure.
It also meant that the negotiations had been hijacked for some time and that the deadline for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had set for an agreement on 15 October was coming, without a transparent sign of significant progress.
Julian Shea agencies in London and Xinhua contributed to this story.