France expands regional COVID-19 lockdown measures to entire country

Only essential retailers, such as supermarkets, will be allowed to remain open, and curfews will be in place from 7pm to 6am

• The tougher lockdown measures will now be extended to the whole of France for four weeks
• All face-to-face teaching in schools will be suspended from Monday
• Travel for the entire population will be limited to within a 10-kilometer radius of home

France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced that starting on Saturday, the regional COVID-19 lockdown measures will be expanded to the entire country in a bid to stop the spiking numbers of new coronavirus cases.

All face-to-face teaching in schools will be suspended from Monday for a week ahead of the two-week spring break, with schools set to return on April 26.

Macron has made this announcement in a televised national address on Wednesday evening, while defending his government’s approach to tackling the virus.

The tougher lockdown measures, which had been in place in 19 areas including Paris, will now be extended to the whole of France for four weeks.

From Saturday evening, travel for the entire population will be limited to within a 10-kilometer radius of home, while longer essential journeys will require a certificate.