French Prime Minister Jean Castex holds a press conference on easing of Covid-19 restrictions in France on November 26, 2020 in Paris.

(Photo by Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP) -

AFP

  • Surrounded by four ministers, Jean Castex detailed this Thursday morning the three stages of deconfinement announced two days earlier by Emmanuel Macron.

  • Will we be able to rush into the shops?

    Hit the ski slopes?

    Share the Christmas dinner with fifteen?

    Or even just take driving lessons at the driving school?

    20 Minutes

    recaps the main practical points to remember.

There is better on the anti-Covid front.

This Thursday morning, Jean Castex began with this his press conference aimed at detailing the measures of the "loosening" of the restrictive measures announced two days earlier by Emmanuel Macron.

“While we had nearly 45,000 new cases [of Covid-19] per day at the beginning of November, we have fallen, on average over the last seven days, to 17,000 cases per day, illustrates the Prime Minister.

The reproduction rate - the famous R0 - is today 0.65, the level reached during the first confinement and one of the lowest in Europe.

"

But if the figures are good, "they remain fragile", insisted Jean Castex.

"The situation at the end of November is different from what it was last May, when the first confinement was released," continues the Prime Minister.

The winter weather conditions and the approach of the end of year holidays are two very important risk factors that we did not have last spring.

"

This clarification serves, for the government, to justify the rest.

This "inability to let your guard down" and this "return in stages to a normal life".

We then come to this loosening in three stages on which Jean Castex, surrounded by four of his ministers, returned in detail this Thursday morning.

20 minutes

recaps the main points to remember.

8m² per customer in shops

Jean Castex repeated it: "all the businesses which were closed until then, whatever their size, will be able to reopen this Saturday".

Consequently, it will be the same for the shelves of the goods considered non-essential of the large surfaces, closed during this reconfinement to avoid distortions of competition with the small businesses.

It still remained to go into details.

What Alain Griset, Minister Delegate in charge of Small and Medium Enterprises, did.

“The gauge is increased to 8m² per customer,” he explains.

A simple rule that applies to the total sales area of ​​stores, furniture, stalls and shelving no longer entering the calculation.

No more than the employees of the stores.

"The gauge only applies to customers," insists Alain Griset, who invites them to appreciate it with common sense.

“For example, when a couple enters a business with a child, they will only count for one person,” he explains.

Shops over 400m2 must have a customer counting system to ensure compliance with the gauge.

"To avoid excessive flows at the end of the year, traders will be able to extend their opening hours until 9 pm", continues Alain Griset, who also indicates that "the government will facilitate exemptions from the opening of shops on Sunday ".

What about driving schools, bars, restaurants, places of worship…?

The clarification of several gray areas that remained after the announcements of Emmanuel Macron was expected this Thursday morning.

What about driving schools, for example?

The preparation of the practical tests for the driving license [in the car!] Will be able to resume as of November 28, while respecting the health protocol that the driving schools applied previously, answered the Prime Minister.

Theoretical tests will continue to be prepared at a distance.

Visits to real estate, by individuals and professionals alike, will be authorized again from Saturday, "again in accordance with the health protocol".

“The same goes for home services,” continues Alain Castex.

However, bars and restaurants will remain closed until January 20.

"Scientific studies show that these establishments, despite demanding protocols and the strong will of managers to apply them, remain places of high viral contamination", justifies Alain Castex, who ensures "this very difficult decision" and ensures the will of the government "to strongly support professionals in this sector".

Finally, on places of worship, another gray area since the announcements of Emmanuel Macron, they may well reopen from Saturday.

"But this reopening can only be gradual", underlines the Prime Minister, who recalls that these places have been places of contamination in the past, in France and abroad.

"They will initially only welcome 30 people in compliance with barrier measures", continues Jean Castex.

A rule that could change if the health situation improves.

"Like other establishments open to the public, it will be possible to apply a gauge according to the overall capacity of the premises," slips the Prime Minister.

Discussions are continuing on this subject.

"

A reopening of cultural places looming

From December 15, cinema sessions and shows can be held but "must end at 9 p.m.", curfew time, Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot said on Thursday.

“People will be able to return home with their ticket, serving as a safe-conduct or proof [proof in time of curfew], but there will be no flexibility on the end of the show;

opera, theater or cinema, ”she said.

Previously, the Minister had indicated that since "the health crisis is not over", the reopening from December 15 of the venues will be done with the "rules of physical distancing by groups of six, respect for barrier gestures, wearing a mask during the entire session, providing hydroalcoholic gel ”.

No skiing at Christmas ...

As already announced by Emmanuel Macron, the traffic restrictions will be gradually relaxed from this Saturday depending, always, on the evolution of the health situation.

As of December 15, the travel certificate should no longer be mandatory, except from 9 p.m., when the curfew will begin each evening.

From December 15, "you will be able to move freely between regions", also indicates Jean Castex.

For trips to or from overseas territories, the production of a PCR test dating back less than 72 hours will remain mandatory, specifies the Prime Minister.

Travel abroad will also be possible, "but given the rapid development of the pandemic in the world, it will be essential to stay informed before considering any trip, by consulting in particular the travel advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ”, continues Jean Castex.

What about skiing?

"We felt that the epidemic circulation and the situation of hospitals in the regions concerned do not allow us to consider reopening for the Christmas holidays," replied Jean Castex.

This does not prevent “going to enjoy the pure air of our mountains”, to use his words, but access to the slopes will remain closed.

As are the bars and restaurants, as everywhere else.

No big tables at Christmas

If we come more specifically to New Years Eve, let's say it bluntly: we will have to put aside the big tables.

Even if the curfew will be "waived on a derogatory basis on December 24 and 31", "that does not mean that we will be able to celebrate Christmas or the New Year as in previous years", warns Jean Castex, because "these moments of gatherings festive and friendly, where we lower our guard and wear less the mask, are particularly risky ”.

"It is therefore imperative that you limit the number of people at the table and avoid too many gatherings", he added, adding that "concrete recommendations" will be announced before the holidays.

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