Curfew extension, epidemic situation: what to remember from the government announcements

THE ESSENTIAL

The government is tightening the screw considerably.

Faced with the progression of the coronavirus pandemic, Jean Castex announced Thursday the extension of the curfew to 38 additional departments.

This measure, already in force in nine metropolises, will come into force for the territories concerned from midnight Friday.

In total, 46 million French people will have to live under the curfew regime. 

"The situation is serious, the second wave is here", lamented the Prime Minister, who warned that "the month of November will be trying".

Here's what to remember from government announcements. 

>> LIVE

- Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Thursday, October 22

Curfew extension for 38 departments 

As announced by Europe 1, the government has decided to extend the curfew to 38 additional departments (see list below).

This measure will apply from midnight Friday, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., for a period of six weeks.

The inhabitants of these departments will have to provide themselves with a certificate, and only in limited cases (professional activity, health emergency ...) which already applied in large metropolises like Paris, Lille or Lyon. 

The curfew has also been extended to all the departments of which until now only the large cities were concerned.

In total, 54 departments and one overseas territory will be subject to the curfew rule, i.e. 46 million French people.

"The use of teleworking has been strongly encouraged," said Jean Castex.

"Much tougher measures" if the epidemic is not contained

The government has clearly warned the population.

If the epidemic is not contained, "much harsher measures" could be taken by the authorities.

"Depending on the results, we will reassess the device to possibly toughen it up with the top priority of saving lives and protecting the most vulnerable," assured the Prime Minister. 

"The situation is serious" on the health front 

The government also took stock of the health situation.

And the Prime Minister did not take gloves: "the second wave is here, we are observing a significant progression of the epidemic in all the countries of Europe. The situation is serious, it is serious in Europe and serious in France ".

Jean Castex was alarmed by the strong progression of the pandemic, with "a doubling of the number of cases in 15 days".

"All age groups are affected," he said. 

The Prime Minister also deplored the increase in patients admitted to intensive care.

284 new serious cases were recorded on Wednesday, or 2,239 patients in intensive care for a national capacity of 5,800 beds.

Three regions, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, PACA and Île-de-France, are particularly affected, with more than 50% of intensive care beds occupied by Covid-19 patients. 

"The month of November will be trying" 

Jean Castex also warned that the next few weeks will be difficult.

"Hospital services will be strained, and the death toll will continue to rise. The month of November will be trying," he warned.

"The new cases today are the hospitalized patients of tomorrow and unfortunately sometimes the dead the day after tomorrow".

More than 32,000 checks and 4,700 fines for non-compliance with the curfew

The police have carried out since last Saturday "32,033 checks and pronounced 4,777 fines for non-compliance with the curfew", also detailed Jean Castex. 

Departments under curfew

The 38 additional departments (+ an overseas territory): 

Ain, Alpes-Maritimes, Ardèche, Ardennes, Ariège, Aube, Aveyron, Bas-Rhin, Calvados, South Corsica, Côte d'Or, Drôme, Gard, Haute-Corse, Haute-Loire, Haute-Savoie, Haute-Vienne, Hautes-Alpes, Hautes-Pyrénées, Ille-et-Vilaine, Indre-et-Loire, Jura, Loiret, Lozère, Maine-et-Loire, Marne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Oise, Pas-de-Calais, Puy-de-Dôme, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Pyrénées-Orientales, Saône-et-Loire, Savoie, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Var, Vaucluse, Polynesia.

The 15 departments where the curfew is extended:

Paris, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, Essonne, Yvelines, Val-d'Oise, Seine-et-Marne, Isère, Nord , Rhône, Seine-Maritime, Bouches-du-Rhône, Hérault, Loire.