'COVID-19 Surge' Additional Measures in Paris, France... Stores Close After 10 PM

Due to the nighttime curfew related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the Champs-?lys?es street in Paris has become quiet. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] As the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) explosively increases in the French capital Paris despite various measures, additional actions have been decided.

Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, stated on the 5th (local time) on BFM broadcast that shops allowed to remain open during the lockdown in Paris and the three adjacent departments of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne must close by 10 p.m. at the latest.

Mayor Hidalgo explained that the control targets include small supermarkets and grocery stores that sell alcohol. Some restaurants offering takeout and delivery are also included.

Mayor Hidalgo added that specific details such as when the additional measures will be implemented and which businesses will be affected will be announced soon.

Throughout France, a movement restriction order has been in place since the 30th of last month for at least four weeks, closing all non-essential businesses such as bars, but in places like Paris, crowds are still gathering late into the night, prompting this decision.

France has a cumulative total of 1,543,321 confirmed COVID-19 cases, ranking fifth worldwide. The cumulative death toll is 38,674, ranking seventh globally.

The French government declared a national health emergency on the 17th of last month and imposed a nighttime curfew in some major cities with severe COVID-19 spread, including Paris, but after effectively failing to control the situation, they have reintroduced a lockdown order after five months.

The national health emergency declared earlier is valid until the 16th of this month. Therefore, the government submitted a bill to parliament to extend the emergency until February 16th of next year, and the lower house passed it.

On the 3rd, the lower house approved an amendment to end the emergency on the 14th of next month, but on the 4th, they withdrew it and processed the bill according to the government's original proposal.

Initially, the ruling party La R?publique En Marche (LREM) held a majority in the lower house, so the smooth passage of the government's original bill was expected, but due to low attendance of its members, they lost the vote to the opposition.

The bill must be passed by the upper house after the lower house, but since the upper house is dominated by the right-wing opposition, it is uncertain whether the government's original bill will pass as is.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.