Terraces, cinemas, theaters, museums ... Even with reduced gauges, the French are burning to find, Wednesday, a little lightness, at a time when the Covid-19 epidemic slows down and the vaccination campaign reaches 20 million first injections.

French people have already been able to take advantage of the Ascension Bridge, the first long weekend since the lifting of travel restrictions in early May, to take the air in the countryside or by the sea.

From Wednesday, the curfew will be pushed back from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and it will be especially the time of reopening, even partial, for many establishments open to the public.

"The general well-being also passes by the resumption of social contacts", comments, in the JDD, the Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon, stressing however the need to respect the health protocols.

Tables of 6 people maximum

The cinemas, closed since October 30, will be able to reopen with a gauge of 35% and 800 spectators maximum, to give again a chance to films with the life interrupted too quickly in the fall, like "Adieu les cons" by Albert Dupontel halo of seven Caesar or "Drunk" by Thomas Vinterberg.

Or to introduce new feature films, while films are scrambling to find a place in cinemas.

Also reopening, with reduced gauges, for museums, theaters, outdoor zoos, libraries and even all businesses.

As for bars and restaurants, only their terraces are concerned on Wednesday, at 50% of their capacity and with tables of 6 maximum.

Rules still too complex for some restaurateurs, especially since the weather in May is uncertain.

"Can you imagine reopening a big machine, redoing a card, bringing back all the staff but ultimately having to cancel everything and throw away merchandise because it is raining? Impossible", told the JDD the media chief Philippe Etchebest who will not reopen his terrace service Wednesday.

"And then not everyone is concerned: barely 40% of restaurant owners in France have a terrace," he underlines.

It will therefore wait for the next stage of reopening, on June 9.

Emergency brakes

In June, cafes and restaurants will then be able to accommodate a limited number of customers indoors, the curfew will be postponed to 11 p.m., the gauges will be relaxed for cultural venues.

This gradual reopening is made possible by the significant improvement in the epidemiological situation and the acceleration of the vaccination campaign.

Since Saturday, more than 20 million French people have received a first injection of vaccine and 8.8 million two doses (13.1% of the total population and 16.8% of the adult population).

The next target set by the government is 30 million first-time vaccines in mid-June.

To achieve it, vaccination has been open since Wednesday to over 18s for doses available overnight. 

All adults can then, without any further conditions, be vaccinated from June 15.

A date that the Ministry of Health does not rule out moving forward, if the situation allows, even if the discussion is not on the agenda for the moment, it was indicated on Sunday at the 'AFP.

On the epidemic side, the signs are also encouraging, with the number of Covid patients in intensive care services falling continuously (4,271 on Saturday, against 5,005 a week earlier, and 6,001 at the peak of the third wave on April 26) and a declining number of contaminations as well.

But if the curve were worryingly reversed, Emmanuel Macron warned that "emergency brakes" could be activated in departments that would exceed an incidence rate of 400 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants over seven days.

"If the local situation requires it, we will take measures by returning to the previous step. If necessary and in consultation with elected officials, we will reconfine locally, as in Guyana since Friday," said Jérôme Salomon in the JDD, noting that we were not "safe" from a fourth wave.

"Collective immunity will only be achieved when the vaccination is successful and the circulation of the virus is reduced to a minimum," he insists, emphasizing the importance of the future health pass and the control of travelers arriving from countries at risk, especially India, while 24 episodes of the Indian variant which worries have been identified in France.

With AFP

The summary of the week

France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application

google-play-badge_FR