Ramblings of a retiree in France
The Italians have been doing it since April, the Greeks started on Monday – and France is shortly set to follow suit, allowing the country’s café, bar and restaurant terraces to reopen for the first time since autumn.The French government has confirmed that the reopening of bar, café and restaurant terraces will go ahead as planned from 19th May – whopee!
Health minister Olivier Véran confirmed that:
The signs are promising, but that certainly doesn’t mean that we can stop taking precautions. Let’s continue to wear masks, maintain correct distances. But we can start moving back towards something like normality.
In addition:-
A Harris Interactive study for Coca-Cola European Partners published last week, revealed that 68% of those in France (me included) are already looking forward to that first drink with friends en terrasse.
So, how will it work?
Strict conditions will remain in place. Only outdoor terraces will be open; there will be a limit of six people to a table; and the curfew remains in place, though it is to be shifted from 7pm to 9pm.
But Covid-19 is still heavily affecting France and although the numbers are falling, how safe is it to return to socialising outdoors?
Safer outside
The main message is still that (outdoor terraces) are far less risky than poorly ventilated interior spaces. A leading epidemiologist estimated the risk of infection at 18 to 20 times lower outdoors than inside.
Nearly 18 months after the start of the pandemic, experts agree that Covid-19 is largely transmitted through aerosols – tiny droplets of breath and saliva that hang in the air produced through infected people breathing, speaking, shouting or singing. In a poorly ventilated space, an aerosol cloud can hang for several minutes or even hours before dissipating. But outside on a terrace, it dissipates rapidly into the atmosphere, like cigarette smoke.
But risks remain
But outdoor terraces are still potentially problematic because those environments are associated with loud speech, people being close to each other, and, consequently, not wearing masks. Having said that, being outdoors will substantially reduce risks of transmission compared with indoors.
Indoors, aerosols remain dangerous for those in close quarters with an infected person, as germs can be inhaled before they have chance to dissipate.This is why distance between people is the most important factor, even outside, especially when you are eating and drinking and therefore cannot wear a mask.
I’m getting a sense that I may only want to initially socialise with those who’ve been vaccinated since vaccines offer the best long-term protection and the best way to reduce infections.
Fans and filters
In a recent study French researchers also noted a “short-range aerosol risk” and suggested the use of large fans which induce turbulent fluctuations, rather than an average flow though the risk varies with the direction of the wind and declines with distance from an infected person. The authors of the French study said that besides giant fans, devices could be placed on tables to filter ambient air.
So, to sum up, I’ll only be drinking/eating on terraces with my beloved where there’s more than adequate social distancing. But first up we’ll be enjoying a picnic this weekend somewhere more than 10km from home.
Wonderful news
The season also increases the attraction and preference for Al fresco dining
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Indeed
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good luck!!! be safe
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Thanks
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👍👍😷😷
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Wow! Enjoy!
We have reopened here mostly but I won’t eat indoors even if many restaurants now allow it.
Stay safe!
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Thanks
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Woot! Woot! If you’re vaxed and masked you should be fairly safe. Let’s hope that everyone else is also. Just curious: does France have a group of people who are resistant to getting the vax? The US is reported to be 55% vaccinated now, but there is a hard-core group refusing vaccinations.
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Everywhere has some anti-vaxers.
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Spain is out already. However, talking with the resto/bar owners here the process is still insufficient as only 50% capacity, no more than 6 to a table, and terraces will open first, how to manage all the crowds! the resto/bar owners are not cops! Hopefully elections are coming soon lol!
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Tricky situation
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Just our friend Castex relaxe the laws it seems they change every day.now the small terraces can open without capacity limit as long as keep a distance lol! Can’t wait for the elections!!!
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Why can’t you wait?
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Expression meaning to voted it out
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Not a fan of M Macron?
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opportunist movement not a party has mix of PS et LR in government since the yellow jacket should be out!
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D’accord
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👍
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Sounds like a good start to hopefully an end to all of this
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Fingers crossed 🤞
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How nice
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I know!!!!!
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My daughter said that restaurant opened in England this week, and all were fully booked within a short time. They have booked for June.
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I think they have reduced capacity because of distancing. Less of an issue for us as we’re used to eating outside and our favourite restaurants have large terraces.
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That’s great. What with the rain, and cold, it probably would be miserable for them.
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Yes, the weather’s been dreadful
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Susie, Restaurants here in the UK opened up for outdoor eating and drinking just over two weeks ago, but they don’t open up indoors until this coming Monday 17th. May
Some places with gardens erected marquees but left one wall side/doorway open for ventilation and this was allowed.
My son ate out twice, but then refused to eat out again until we open up indoors again he said it was absolutely freezing. But we are in Yorkshire and not he south!
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I lived in Kent, but my family live in the Midlands.
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You must miss them, Susie and especially now in this difficult time.
Gerry told me your husband had recently died, You have my sympathy.
I hope you manage to have a visit from your family very soon.
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I think it will be autumn or even winter before they can come. It will be either my daughter and her eldest daughter, or all 4 of them. My youngest granddaughter is on the high end of the Autism spectrum, with severe learning disabilities. She may not be able to travel.
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I’m sorry to hear that, Susie.
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Where in the Midlands?
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A tiny village close to Warwick, and Stratford upon Avon.
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Know the area well! I was born in Sutton Coldfield, then we moved to Four Oaks.
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It’s so picturesque when the sun shines ☀️
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Warwickshire is a beautiful county
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Certainly is. I went back 25 times in the first 24 years. Then Len had the cerebral hemorrhage, and benign brain tumor, and haven’t been back in 11 years.
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I think you’ll find much has changed. You must really be looking forward to your return.
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Fingers crossed that people remain sensible – here, too
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Indeed
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We open indoors on Monday. And with two of my daughters I are planning to go out for breakfast. We assumed lunch and dinner would be busier. The last time I ate in a restaurant was back in August and the tables were spaced far apart – It will be interesting to see the indoor arrangement this time.
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Enjoy
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Yay. You can finally have your outdoor sit out. 😊
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Indeed! Had a picnic on the beach yesterday
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That’s so nice. 😍
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It was fun
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That is good news. Stay safe! Enjoy!
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Thanks
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Good News…👍
Yet we should take care.
https://travelcuddly.com/travel-safe-and-arrive-well-during-covid-19/
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Absolutely
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Ok thank
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Good to see things are getting better Sheree. We still have strict lockdown in place until at least June 2.
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We can eat on terraces from tomorrow
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That’s great! I think there’s a good possibility our lockdown will be extended again.
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That’s not good
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I’m happy to hear life is getting freer there. I’m glad the warmer weather is letting you go outside into the fresh air. Enjoy your picnic! 🙂
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Thanks it was great fun
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Yes, that’s great news.
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Absolutely
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