Prime Minister Édouard Philippe presented on Tuesday the plan for progressive deconfinement of the country, which should start from May 11. Shops, closed since the start of containment, may then reopen under certain conditions.
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Shops and markets will reopen on May 11
All shops, except cafes and restaurants, will be able to reopen as of May 11 but with health protection measures, announced Edouard Philippe. "The wearing of a general public mask is recommended for staff and customers when physical distance measures cannot be guaranteed," he said. In addition, traders may prohibit people without a mask from entering their store.
This reopening authorization also concerns non-essential businesses. If they can again accommodate the public, they too will have to respect these health requirements, by "limiting the number of people present at the same time in the store and organizing flows, in order to enforce the rule of the minimum distance from one meter per person without contact around her ", according to the Prime Minister.
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Regarding the open-air markets and covered halls, which are now closed with exceptions, their reopening will also be possible from May 11. They "will generally be authorized, unless the mayors or prefects believe that they cannot enforce barrier gestures", declared the Prime Minister.
When all activities not essential to the functioning of the country were closed in mid-March, the food markets had initially remained open, declared a priority like supermarkets to feed the confined populations. But the government finally closed them all on March 24 to curb contagion, before granting authorizations on a case-by-case basis.
Some shopping centers will remain closed
Another announcement: the activities of large shopping centers cannot all resume. "The opening of shops will include an exception for shopping centers that have a catchment area that goes beyond the living area and therefore that generates travel and contacts that we do not want to encourage," said the head of the government.
The prefects will also be able to keep shopping centers over 40,000 m2 closed to avoid population movements.
Subsequent decision on cafes and restaurants
As announced in recent days, the government will make a decision on bars, cafes and restaurants in late May, to decide if they can open after June 2. This question will be part of the second phase of the progressive deconfinement plan, which will last until the summer. The issue is crucial for restaurateurs, many of whom may be shutting down due to the coronavirus crisis.
Companies encouraged to favor telework
While most businesses will reopen, telework should remain the norm in the companies that can set it up. Édouard Philippe thus "urged companies" to maintain telework "wherever possible, at least in the next three weeks". The objective is thus to avoid travel, especially in public transport, where wearing a mask will now be compulsory from May 11. On teleworking, there is not "a before and after May 11," he said.
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In cases where teleworking is not possible, the Prime Minister encouraged "the practice of shift schedules in the enterprise". "It will spread the flow of employees in transport and reduce the simultaneous presence of employees in the same workspace," he said.
Wearing a mask encouraged in companies
Companies that cannot implement telework will have to adapt. Édouard Philippe called on them to pay "special attention to timetables, barrier gestures, the layout of workspaces" and to use a mask "as long as the rules of distance cannot be guaranteed". Regarding masks, he therefore invited "all companies, when their means allow, to ensure that their employees are equipped".
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"This is a condition for recovery. The regions and the state will put in place support for very small businesses and the self-employed, beyond the initiatives already taken by certain branches or professional organizations". These subjects related to the health and safety of employees are to be the subject of a meeting with union and employer organizations on Thursday.
Partial unemployment in place until June 1
While 10.8 million workers are partially unemployed in France, this system will remain widespread during the first part of this gradual deconfinement. "The partial activity system, which is one of the most generous in Europe, will remain in place until June 1," announced the Prime Minister. "We will then have to adapt it gradually, in order to support the resumption of activity if the epidemic is brought under control," he continued, ensuring that he wanted to continue "protecting the vulnerable and the professional sectors that would remain closed." ".
Partial unemployment, which allows employees to receive 84% of their net remuneration, currently concerns more than one in two private sector employees.