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The Paris metropolitan area is one of 16 French regions that partially closed on Saturday and will last at least a month. The new restrictions are intended to limit travel away from home, except for work or essential activities. FRANCE 24 takes a look at the new blocking rules.
The new partial closure attempts to curb the spread of Covid-19 while limiting economic costs, making the restrictions very different from last year’s two French closures.
Unlike previous closures, only 16 regions, including the Paris metropolitan area, have been partially closed.
In these 16 departments, new massive measures will be taken to curb the epidemic from midnight on Friday evening and for 4 weeks.
We are taking a third route, a way that should allow us to brake without getting stuck. pic.twitter.com/AkzukWf5O9– Jean Castex (@JeanCASTEX) March 18, 2021
The government announced on Saturday that it would not be necessary for residents of the 16 affected regions to fill out a document attestation form (as it was in the previous enclosures) if they leave within a radius of 10 kilometers of their house. They will simply need to bring a proof of address.
For any trip exceeding 10 miles, an official attestation a form will still be needed. Forms issued by the Ministry of the Interior are available in English here.
“The certificate and justification of the reason for the trip will continue to be required for journeys of more than 10 kilometers (either within the department or for interregional travel),” the government said in a statement.
A night curfew starts at 19:00 (before it was 18:00) and ends at 6:00. Currently, a declaration form is also required for any trip during the curfew.
Interregional travel is banned from Saturday, except for “imperative or professional reasons,” according to the Interior Ministry’s website.
If you do not follow the rules, one will occur €135 well.
Schools are kept open and work at home is encouraged
For at least a month, elementary schools and universities (ages 11 to 15) will remain open normally, but high schools (ages 16 to 18) will return to a half-home and half-school hybrid schedule.
On the other hand, outdoor sports and extracurricular hours will operate normally and the parks remain open.
>> Read more about France’s doctrinal position on open schools
Adults are encouraged to work from home as much as possible.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday that guidelines for companies and administrations to establish work measures from home for “at least four days” a week “are still far” from being followed.
A study by the Institut Pasteur published earlier this month showed that pollution at work accounted for 15 percent of identified cases of Covid-19.
What is an “essential” purchase?
Under the new restrictions, about 90,000 companies will not be able to open, including some 25,000 companies already closed in malls across the country, according to a government statement.
Stores selling non-essential goods and services, including department stores, will be closed.
The list of essential stores includes pharmacies, supermarkets, bookstores, hairdressers, shoe repairs, florists, chocolate shops, car dealers and music stores.