What you can do during curfew and what will be prohibited

Prime Minister Jean Castex clarified on Thursday the modalities of the curfew which will come into force this Friday evening at midnight in Ile-de-France and in eight French metropolises.

-

• On Wednesday evening, the Head of State Emmanuel Macron announced the establishment of a night curfew in Ile-de-France and in eight French metropolises.

• From Friday evening at midnight, it will no longer be possible to be away from home, except for specific exceptions.

• However, it will be possible to continue to work and take public transport.

The rumor had been buzzing for a few days, but now it's official: it's curfew time.

This is the major announcement made to the French by Emmanuel Macron this Wednesday evening on the occasion of his television interview granted from the Elysee Palace.

As of this Saturday, the curfew will therefore be implemented in Ile-de-France and in eight French metropolises: Aix Marseille, Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Montpellier, Rouen, Saint-Etienne and Toulouse.

It is not "a traffic ban", assured the head of state.

But it will look a lot like nighttime confinement for 20 million French people, who will no longer be able to go out between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., for at least four to six weeks.

The objective: to limit private gatherings and thus slow down the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic: "We must reduce the private contacts which are the most dangerous", commented the Head of State.

This is to prevent young and healthy people who become infected in the evenings from infecting their fragile loved ones in turn.

And prevent it from causing congestion in hospitals.

So what consequences will this curfew have on vacations, our evenings and our travels?

Prime Minister Jean Castex detailed this Thursday afternoon the terms of these local curfews. 

 gives you a little summary of what it will be possible to do and what will no longer be possible during this curfew.

A curfew which will come into effect this Saturday at midnight, that is to say in the night of Friday to Saturday.

What we can continue to do:

To go to work

The aim of this curfew is to limit social contact while avoiding the paralysis of the economy caused by generalized confinement.

Everyone will therefore be able to continue working, even in staggered hours.

“We will continue to work, insisted Emmanuel Macron.

Obviously, for all those who come home from work at 9 pm or who work at night, there will be an authorization "to move during the curfew.

It will then be necessary to have "a certificate from the employer, said Thursday the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin, and his professional card" for certain professions.

Where possible, teleworking remains strongly encouraged.

Students will be able to continue to attend classes, but the limit to 50% of university reception capacities remains in force.

"Health, medico-social establishments" or even "restaurants practicing home delivery" will not be subject to the obligation to close their doors at 9 pm.

And "certain movements will remain authorized", in particular "for health reasons" or "if you have to go to people in a situation of dependency, added Jean Castex.

As during confinement, you will need to provide yourself with an exceptional travel certificate, the information will be available on the government website ”.

Move around freely during the day and go to a restaurant or a cinema

The curfew being nocturnal, it will be possible to move freely and without certificate from 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., unlike confinement.

It will thus be possible to go to the restaurant, to the cinema or to the theater.

On the other hand, you will have to watch your watch to be back home by 9 p.m.

For their part, restaurateurs, theaters and cinemas are preparing to review their schedules to welcome customers earlier and be ready to close their doors at around 8:30 p.m., to give customers time to get home on time. .

Take public transport day and night

"There will be no transport restrictions" during this night curfew, Emmanuel Macron promised Wednesday evening.

“There are people who will continue to work at night, or in the evening, or in the early morning,” he agreed.

Similarly, "if you have a plane or a train after 9 pm", it will be possible to travel between 9 pm and 6 am, specified the head of government, "on presentation of your ticket" in case of control.

Going on vacation or moving to another region

On the eve of the start of the All Saints' Day school holidays, many people feared the return of travel restrictions to more than 100 kilometers from their home.

This will not be the case, holidaymakers will be able to move freely in France: "We are not preventing people from moving from one region to another (...) and from going on vacation," said the president. .

"To ask people to stay at home in apartments and not to go to a vacation spot, honestly, that would be disproportionate."

Walk your pet

No fear for the bladder of your best four-legged friend, an exemption will be granted "to take your pet out", reassured the Prime Minister.

It will then be necessary to bring "a certificate".

What will no longer be possible to do:

Being away from home without justification between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The "shops", "services" and "places open to the public" will be closed in the departments and cities where the "health curfew" will be in effect from 9 pm to 6 am, announced Thursday Jean Castex.

Thus, "at 9 pm, everyone should be at home," he insisted.

Without a valid reason to be away from his home between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., in the event of a control, the police may issue a ticket to any offender.

An offense punishable by a fine of 135 euros, the same amount as in the event of non-wearing of the mask.

And in the event of a repeat offense, the fine will be 1,500 euros.

In practice, 12,000 police and gendarmes will be deployed on the territory to carry out checks during the curfew.

Jogging, cycling or any other outdoor sport activity will not be considered a valid reason for going out between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., and will therefore be liable to a fine.

Organize large gatherings at home

"It's hard to be 20 years old in 2020. When we are young, we party and we have friends", conceded the head of state on Wednesday evening.

Well for the next few weeks, it will be for young people and all those living in the metropolises affected by the curfew to "make efforts and see themselves fewer at the same time," said Emmanuel Macron.

Forgotten big family reunions and birthday parties with 30 people gathered in an apartment, now, whether "in the restaurant or for our personal life, it is not more than six at the table", prescribed the chef of State.

If it is not planned, as in Canada, to send the police to check that the rule of six people is respected in the homes, it remains formally not recommended to the smart ones who would be tempted to gather in numbers in accommodation to party there all night to give in to their desire.

Emmanuel Macron also recalled this Wednesday evening the importance of respecting barrier gestures, recommending to "keep distances of more than one meter, wash your hands regularly, wear a mask as much as possible, including with family or friends and […] To ventilate regularly ”.

Go to bars and gyms

"The drinking establishments and sports halls will remain closed", recalled the head of government.

The introduction of the night curfew will not be accompanied by a reopening of bars during the day.

If they do not offer a catering service, the bars will remain closed for at least the next four to six weeks in the metropolises concerned.

Celebrate weddings and participate in student parties

Lovers will have to be patient before joining together in joy and surrounded by their loved ones.

"The entire territory is placed in a state of health emergency," said Jean Castex.

Thus, "all private parties, such as weddings or student parties, which are held in halls, in multipurpose rooms or any other establishment open to the public will be prohibited" throughout the territory and no longer in only areas in maximum alert level, said Thursday Jean Castex.

Politics

Coronavirus LIVE: Health personnel will receive early before the end of the year what was planned by the "Ségur de la santé" ...

Health

Coronavirus: "The effectiveness of a curfew remains questionable", says a public health expert

• Health

• epidemic

• Society

• Curfew

• Coronavirus

• Covid 19