President Emmanuel Macron has addressed France in a televised interview saying all schools and universities across the country are to close.
President Macron gave a televised interview from the Elysée Palace in Paris on Thursday evening that all schools, colleges and universities will close from Monday “until further notice.”
The French President said in an address to the nation, “Despite our efforts, the virus is accelerating.
“It will hit the most vulnerable people first and we are taking great efforts to increase massively the capacity in our hospitals.
“We have to prepare for the second wave, which will hit younger people. We have to prepare our emergency staff.
“We need to win time, but the priority is to protect the most vulnerable.
“For our collective interest, from Monday and until further notice, nurseries, schools, colleges, high schools and universities will be closed.
“Closed for a simple reason: our children and our youngest, according to scientists, are the ones who seem to spread the virus the fastest.”
President Macron warned that all French borders may soon close, he added, “if necessary, we will close frontiers, but only in co-ordination with the EU.”
Macron has ordered, “If employees have to stay at home, they will be paid.
“We will take all necessary measures to ensure the economy will continue. All companies can delay payment of taxes, due in March, without any penalty.”
Furthermore, “The government has placed additional restrictions on four zones with clusters of coronavirus cases: Morbihan in Brittany, Haute-Savoie in eastern France near the Swiss border and the départements of Oise and Haut-Rhin in north east France.
“In these places there is a ban on all public gatherings including markets, community groups and church services.”
France borders northern Italy which12 days ago, had just 34 deaths, now the country has a death toll of 1,016up from 827 on Wednesday, with more than 15,000 confirmed cases across the country, with almost 900 people are in intensive care wards.
Coronavirus is spreading so fast and with thousands now infected doctors are being forced to decide on who lives and who dies as there are very limited numbers of beds in the intensive care units.
Dr Daniele Macchini who is at the heart of the coronavirus outbreak has spoken out and has said the virus is a “tsunami that has swept us all.”
Brexit trade negotiations with the European Union have been cancelled as more than 200 UK and EU officials were set to meet in London on 18 March.
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