In an attempt to stem the circulation of the Covid-19 epidemic, the literal area of ​​the Alpes-Maritimes will now be confined for the next two weekends.

Travel will be prohibited, with some exceptions, from Friday 6 p.m. to Monday 6 a.m.

Other restrictions were also announced by the prefecture. 

THE ESSENTIAL

A first in France.

The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes announced on Monday a containment of the coastal area of ​​the department over the next two weekends, in an attempt to curb the circulation of Covid-19.

These measures were expected, the department being particularly affected by the epidemic.

The incidence rate of the Alpes-Maritimes is 588 per 100,000 inhabitants, ie "three times higher" than the national average, specified the prefect, Bernard Gonzalez.

The controls will be reinforced, hammered the prefect, during the press conference, the time not being any more with the "pedagogy" but with the "responsibility". 

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Containment from Menton to Théoule-sur-Mer

The area affected by these travel restrictions extends from Menton to Théoule-sur-Mer, or nearly 90% of the population of the department.

The municipalities of Nice and Cannes are particularly concerned.

Travel will therefore be prohibited from Friday at 6 p.m. to Monday at 6 a.m., except for exceptional reasons.

It will be possible to do food shopping, take out your pet or play sports within a limit of one hour and five kilometers around your home.

But the 6 p.m. curfew remains in effect and should be observed. 

Restrictions in shops and tightened controls

From Tuesday, and for two weeks, shopping malls of more than 5,000 square meters will be closed in the department, with the exception of pharmacies and food stores.

For shops over 400m2, the gauge will drop from 10 to 15m2 per visitor.

The prefect who called for the barrier gestures to be "applied very strictly", in particular asked "the business operators" concerned "to equip themselves with a Covid mediator" in charge of enforcing the rules.

Finally, the wearing of a mask will be generalized in the department.

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Border controls will be stepped up, at the airport or on the roads, with random PCR tests organized by the police. 

Acceleration of vaccination

Regarding the vaccination campaign, the prefect echoed the local elected representatives and announced an acceleration of injections.

The Alpes-Maritimes department will receive 4,500 additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, i.e. 1,000 more than what the authorities had already promised during the visit of Minister of Health Olivier Véran to Nice on Saturday.

They will be added to the 90,000 additional doses that will be delivered by the end of March, said the prefect.