Paris, Oct 29 (UNI) French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced a second nationwide lockdown until at least the end of November, the BBC reported.
In a televised address to the nation Mr Macron said, the new lockdown comes into effect from Friday, wherein people would only be allowed to leave home for essential work or medical reasons.
This meant that non-essential businesses, like restaurants and bars, will remain closed, but schools and factories will remain open.
France like several other European countries has in recent days seen a huge surge in COVID infections and daily deaths, which are the highest since the month of April. On Tuesday, 33,000 new cases were confirmed in the country.
Night curfews will come into force for the 46 million French citizens.
In the address on Wednesday, Mr Macron said that France must now "brutally apply the brakes" to avoid being "submerged by the acceleration of the epidemic".
"The virus is circulating at a speed that not even the most pessimistic forecasts had anticipated," he said, adding that half of all intensive care beds at French hospitals were being occupied by COVID patients.
The president said that under the new rules, people would need to fill in a form to justify leaving their homes, as was required in the initial lockdown in March. Social gatherings have been completely banned.
He also said that public services and factories would remain open, adding that the economy "must not stop or it will collapse".
Mr Macron added that visits to care homes - which were banned during the two-month lockdown declared in March - would be permitted under the latest measures.
The curbs will apply until 1 December and will be reassessed every two weeks. The president said he retained "hope that families will be able to be reunited for Christmas".
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