Prime Minister Edouard Philippe presented this Tuesday 28th April 2020 his plan to restart the country from May 11th. Here’s what to remember about businesses.
No surprise for bars and restaurants: their doors will remain closed at the time of deconfinement, unlike “all other shops”.
This was confirmed by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe this Tuesday 28th April 2020, during the presentation to the National Assembly of the plan to restart the country from May 11th, after two months of confinement to fight against coronavirus epidemic.
We will have to wait until the end of May to know whether bars, cafes and restaurants will be able to reopen “after June 2” or not. Here is what to remember from the Prime Minister’s other announcements concerning businesses.
No reopening of museums, cinemas, theatres
Because they can “operate in accordance with health rules”, ” libraries, media libraries and small museums ” may reopen on May 11, unlike “large museums”, cinemas, concert halls and theatres, which will still have to wait with raising the curtain.
Physical distance in shops
The businesses affected by the deconfinement will have to respect strict specifications, aiming to limit the number of people present at the same time in the store or even to organize the flow of people. Objective: to enforce the rule of the minimum distance of one meter per person.
In addition, the wearing of masks may be imposed by traders to enter their stores.
Read also: Deconfinement: masks for all by May 11, assures the Prime Minister
Markets yes, large shopping centres no
The markets will generally be allowed unless the mayors or reeves feel that safety is not assured.
The prefects may also decide not to “allow large shopping centres over 40,000 m² to be opened beyond the food sections already open ” in order to avoid potential population movements.
Read also: Deconfinement: gradual reopening, wearing a mask … What to remember about schools
Only a few businesses open during containment
Since the start of containment on March 17th, only businesses selling “basic necessities”, the list of which was defined by decree, were allowed to remain open.
This mainly concerned food stores (supermarkets and retail stores), pharmacies, tobacconists, or even petrol stations and car garages.
Gradually, other businesses were allowed to reopen, such as garden centres and nurseries to sell vegetable plants, or haberdashery to sell fabric to allow the French to make their own mask.
Other brands have used the drive service to continue selling, including DIY stores .
