No new French lockdown, PM Jean Castex has just announced.
All borders to be closed except for essential travel, from Sunday.
Castex said the Covid figures were not yet bad enough to justify a third lockdown but new measures were needed to contain the faster-spreading UK and other variants.
Borders with NON-EU countries to be closed from Saturday midnight but travel within EU ro continue.
Large supermarkets and malls to close from Monday.
This is a big gamble by Emmanuel Macron and hos government. Pressure for a full, or fullish, third lockdown in France has been growing. Scientists have said it's the only way to stop the kind of explosion of cases and deaths from the Covid variants seen in the UK.
Macron appears to have decided after a Health Defence Council tonight that the risk to national morale and even public order from another lockdown was the greater danger. Brave. Or foolosh.
The existing 6pm to 6am curfew, patchily enforced until now, will be thoroughly policed, Castex said. Efforts will be made to encourage more home working.
Every effort must be made to avoid a new lockdown, the PM said. "Be vigilant. But have trust. At every stage, our individual and collective efforts have been rewarded. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
To recap:
No third lockdown.
Non EU borders to close from midnight tomorrow except for essential travel (which will include truck driving to the UK).
Big malls and hypermarkets to close from Monday.
No third lockdown.
Non EU borders to close from midnight tomorrow except for essential travel (which will include truck driving to the UK).
Big malls and hypermarkets to close from Monday.
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