Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced on Saturday 14th March 2020 new measures to stem the epidemic of coronavirus, which affects 4,500 people in France.
Edouard Philippe announced, this Saturday 14th March 2020, the closure, in France and from midnight, of bars, restaurants, cinemas and public places, due to the epidemic of coronavirus.
🔴 DIRECT – Coronavirus : déclaration du Premier ministre Édouard Philippe https://t.co/HUnCOcGjjn
— Brut FR (@brutofficiel) March 14, 2020
The stage 3 is also triggered, said the Director General of Health, Jerome Solomon .
Limited public transportation
According to the Prime Minister, the restriction on gatherings has been “imperfectly applied”.
He explains :
“After the president’s announcements, I went out and saw too many people in cafes, restaurants. It would normally cheer me up, but for a few weeks, that is not what we have to do.”
On the recommendations of the scientific council and “in connection with the president”, Edouard Philippe therefore “decided to close all places open to the public, not essential to the life of the country”, such as “bars, cafes, restaurants, places of worship, cinemas, discos… ”.
On the other hand, he specifies that food shops, pharmacies, tobacco shops, banks and even petrol stations will remain open to the public, as will public transport.
On this point, he adds:
“I say it with seriousness, we must all show more discipline. (…) We must limit friendly and family gatherings, use public transport only to go to work.”
Finally, he asked “businesses and administrations” to “initiate a massive action to organize telework ” on Monday to “allow as many people as possible to stay at home”.
