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Macron addressed the public in a televised address: "We will lose control if we do nothing now."
Photo: STEPHANE MAHE / REUTERS
Keeping schools open and taking regional measures against Corona - that was the dogma of the French President.
Emmanuel Macron has now said goodbye to some extent: In view of the new corona wave, a nationwide lockdown is being imposed in France for the third time.
The conditions already in force in 19 administrative districts will be extended to the whole country for four weeks, Macron announced in a television address on Wednesday evening.
Accordingly, the restrictions should apply from Saturday night and include exit restrictions from 7 p.m. and the closure of all non-essential shops.
Schools are to remain closed for three weeks.
From the weekend, people in France are not allowed to go further than ten kilometers from their home for walks or sports.
Companies should now rely even more on home office in the future.
Macron also gave hope for careful openings.
In mid-May, the outdoor areas of the gastronomy and some cultural sites will gradually reopen.
In addition, the intensive care beds in the hospitals are to be increased from 7,000 to 10,000.
The President admitted that he had "made mistakes" in overcoming the health crisis, but that he had also "learned".
“At every stage of this epidemic, we could tell ourselves that we could have done better, that we made mistakes.
All of this is true, ”said the President.
"But I know one thing: we have learned and we have got better every time."
Schools close for three weeks
For the first time in the current school year, France is closing schools due to Corona.
Nationwide distance classes will be held for one week, followed by two weeks of spring break.
"This is the best solution to slow down the virus," said the president in his address to the nation.
At the same time, he emphasizes that France has managed to keep schools open longer than many neighboring countries during the pandemic.
Schools in France have so far only been closed during the first strict lockdown last spring.
After that, Macron insisted on keeping this open as long as possible.
In France it had been speculated for some time that Macron would turn to his compatriots again because of the tense situation.
Most recently, Prime Minister Jean Castex had announced further restrictions on several occasions.
Macron last gave a televised address on the corona crisis on November 27th.
The corona situation in France has worsened again significantly.
Hospitals in the greater Paris area in particular raised the alarm because the intensive care units were overcrowded.
According to the French Ministry of Health, nine out of ten intensive care beds in the country are already occupied.
The number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within a week was recently a good 375 nationwide. Last week, Germany classified France as a high incidence area and tightened the entry requirements.
In the country with around 67 million inhabitants, more than 95,000 people with Covid-19 have died so far.
kim / dpa / AFP / Reuters
