The peak of France’s third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic appears to be behind us and travel restrictions within the country will be eased from early next week.
Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer confirmed that stringent health protocol would remain in place in schools and that classes would close as soon as one Covid case was detected. Some 400,000 Covid tests would be carried out in schools and auto-tests would be made available to staff and high school students.
At the end of last week, there were just under 6,000 people with coronavirus in intensive care, with the figure to the relief of the authorities flattening out below 6,000 over the last few days. After a slow start, the vaccine campaign is gaining pace with over 13 million people having received at least their first dose.
C'est grâce à cette mobilisation exceptionnelle que nous sommes sur le bon chemin pour atteindre notre objectif de 20 millions de personnes ayant reçu une première injection à la mi-mai et 30 millions à la mi-juin. pic.twitter.com/nFmRXEVYDe
— Jean Castex (@JeanCASTEX) April 22, 2021
Some time between 13-17 May
According the media sources, these are dates when the government plans to reopen some terraces of bars and restaurants. Last year, the progressive re-opening of eateries started with their outdoor spaces, and a similar plan is envisaged this time as the virus spreads less outside.
It’s possible this may be done only in areas with lower rates of the virus, health minister Olivier Véran has said that he favours an area-by-area approach to reopening, which could see the return of the ‘red zones’ and ‘green zones’ seen in summer 2020.
Cultural spaces may also begin to reopen. That includes museums, cinemas, theatres, tourist sites and similar establishments. Again, this could be done on a regional basis, with entry limits varying between regions, depending on the spread of the virus in the area.
No date
Curfew – It has been widely leaked that the government intends to relax the 7pm curfew, but not necessarily scrap it.
Universities – students can go into university one day a week in May, Macron said, but so far there were no reports on fixed reopening dates for higher education establishments.
Gyms, indoor pools and sports halls – no dates were yet reported as to when these places may reopen.
Salons, fairs and large public events – big public gatherings, especially those indoors, will likely be among the last to reopen, although the culture minister, Roselyne Bachelot, laid out a plan for “experimental concerts” earlier this spring before she was hospitalised for Covid. If successful, these experiments might become a model for other larger events.
Nightclubs – discos and nightclubs have received no dates regarding when they will be able to get back into business and have been closed since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
International travel – apart from the quarantine rules for high risk countries like India and Brazil, no changes have been announced to travel rules. Travel from most non-EU countries remains heavily restricted, although Macron has said that he hopes that [vaccinated] Americans will be able to travel to France this summer. Travel from within the EU is allowed for any reason, as well as seven non-EU countries including the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The 10km rule has in effect ruled out holidays or visits from second-home owners but, when that is lifted on Monday, travel for tourism will again be possible – depending on the rules of the visitor’s country of origin.
Good news Sheree. Stay well and safe.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks Sadje
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re welcome 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
NO!…Please don’t take the second. Research, research.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes please do some research, don’t listen to these religious loons, get fully vaccinated!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Eric
LikeLike
Sorry but this doesn’t have any thing to do with religion. It is population control and mass death.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, but I have done my research. Remember, we work in the health sector. However I do appreciate than not everyone agrees, but that’s okay.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Awesome news. The first shot isn’t bad, the second can be the hard one. I had my second Pfizer shot 3 weeks ago, and I was very tired the second day, so not really that bad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for info
LikeLike
As for Europeans Union members to travel to US needs an ESTA visa , the European Union is preparing the ESTIAS for Americans traveling to EU that due to the virus has been postponned to 2022: https://www.etiasvisa.com/
FYI
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for info
LikeLiked by 1 person
You got me to write a post on it soon tonite ::)
LikeLiked by 1 person
😎
LikeLike
It is such a sad time for the entire world. It makes you pause in wonder of what next.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m kinda hoping things are getting better
LikeLike
I did not realise france had such stringent lockdown in place. I am glad it is easy some now. xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Carol Anne
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What we need is consistency across Europe. No chance of UK joining in with anything like that of course.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No longer *in* Europe
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happily still in Europe but sadly not in EU. With a belligerent and irrational popular press and a far right government it seems UK will never cooperate.
LikeLiked by 2 people
True
LikeLike
So pleased you have got your first vaccine 🤗❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too
LikeLiked by 1 person
Had the second Astra-Zeneca jab last week and thus far all is good
LikeLiked by 2 people
Excellent news
LikeLiked by 2 people
That is very interesting, Sheree, a positive development. Here in Denmark they had great plans with vaccinating the majority of the population by August. Right now they are banning one vaccine after the other, first Astrazeneca, then Johnson&Johnson (I think that’s the name), although Astrazeneca has come back for those, who want it (for example those, whose first jab was Astrazeneca).
They are also planning to open up restaurants etc., but only for those with health passport. One thing we never had was a curfew.
In between there was the idea coming up that people could be infected by their pets, but that was dropped again rather quickly. I think, if they had started to kill pets, they would have had a revolution at their hands, fear of COVID or not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fingers crossed 🤞 we’re over the hump in Europe but we need to get there globally too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course! India is hard hit and Brasil.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great! Vaccination is the only answer. The low percentage of people who have contracted the virus after one or two jabs shows the vaccines are highly effective!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good news on your jabs. I hope the country gets better soon
LikeLiked by 2 people
Me too and thanks Derrick
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good news. I suppose we’ll have to get used to these rolling lockdowns until enough people have had their vaccines. We had our second jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine and are waiting for two weeks to go by so that our immunity has built up or the end of the current lockdown (whichever is later) to step out of the garden once more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not long to go then
LikeLiked by 1 person
I finally had my first jab last week, but here we have to wait 4 months to get the second, except those in the medical profession and a few others like those in nursing homes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s quite a long interval
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, too long I think, but we don’t have enough vaccines to do it closer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Beloved’s Birthday Celebrations – View from the Back
Great read. Stay safe
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Patrick, you too
LikeLike
Great news
LikeLiked by 1 person