Faced with the advance of the English variant, the prefecture of the North has decided to take new measures in the Dunkirk region.

Schools will receive new recommendations for staggering entrances and exits but will remain open.

The obligation to wear a mask is extended.

The North Prefecture announced on Saturday a strengthening of measures against Covid-19 in Dunkirk to try to contain a situation that has "deteriorated suddenly", with an acceleration of the circulation of the English variant, without ordering the closure of colleges and high schools requested by the mayors.

"The epidemic evolution of Covid-19 on the territory of Dunkirk has deteriorated sharply in recent days", writes the prefecture in a press release, pointing "an incidence rate of 515 cases per 100,000 inhabitants against 384 there is a week, while the presence of the English variant has accelerated on the territory ".

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Worried, the mayors of the urban community of Dunkirk in the Nord department had asked the authorities on Friday to close secondary schools and high schools a week before the school holidays and to give the possibility of waiving the compulsory schooling for children attending primary school .

The prefecture has chosen to postpone the arrival and departure of classes in nursery and elementary schools in order to avoid crowds and to operate colleges and high schools "in mixed mode (face-to-face / distance) to reduce the number of students present ".

"Strengthening vaccination"

The obligation to wear a mask in public spaces will also be extended to all the municipalities of the Urban Community of Dunkirk and the Hauts de Flandre Community of Municipalities from February 14.

The northern prefecture also recommends "as far as possible, to limit travel to and outside (of these two communities of municipalities) and to restrict as much as possible its close contacts to the family sphere".

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In addition, the prefecture announces "the reinforcement of vaccination in the territory of Dunkirk by the mobilization of additional doses of vaccine" and screening operations in schools and businesses.