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2 June - France eases lockdown (Paris)

The Local
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@thelocalfrance

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France will continue to ease restrictions put in place to combat the coronavirus epidemic, the Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, announced on Thursday, 28 May Protected content , as the country prepares to reopen bars, cafés, parks and schools and scrap the 100km travel limit.

Like phase 1, phase 2 will last for roughly three weeks, from June 2nd to June 21st.

Bars and restaurants

The PM said cafés, bars and restaurants would be able to reopen in all areas as of June 2nd - however orange zones (including Paris) would only be able to reopen outdoor terraces.

All employees would however need to wear a face mask at all times while customers would need to wear a mask whenever they were moving around in the establishment (they can remove it while seated at the table).

Protected content rule

The rule forbidding people from travelling more than Protected content from home in France will be scrapped as of June 2nd. That means people will be able to move around freely inside the country starting that date.

"The less we move around, the less we spread the virus," the PM cautioned.

"I call on all French to show the same kind of responsibility as they have been showing throughout the crisis."

The Prime Minister said current rules on international travel would be maintained until June 15th, but after that it aims to reopen the borders for travel from within Europe.

Schools

“Reopening schools has been a primary goal,” said Jean-Michel Blanquer, France’s education minister, stressing that the “method would remain the same,” based on “pragmatism” and “putting the health of pupils and employees first.”

As of June 2nd, all elementary and primary schools would reopen “for at least part of the week,” the education minister said, while maintaining current practices of taking in smaller groups.

Secondary schools (collèges), which had so far only been able to reopen in green zones, would begin to reopen as of June 2nd, “both in green and orange zones,” Blanquer said.

As for high schools (lycées), they would reopen in green zones. The oral exam of the baccalauréat - the infamous end-of-high school test - has been cancelled, Blanquer confirmed.

Parks, beaches and gardens

Parks and gardens will be reopened in all areas as of this weekend - also those coloured orange - the PM said, adding that local authorities would retain the right to impose mask-wearing as a precautionary measure.

Beaches and lakes
Beaches and lakes will also reopen on June 2nd.

Campsites will reopen on June 2nd in green zones and June 22nd in red zones.

Gyms and swimming pools

All gyms will be able to reopen in green zones as of June 2nd and in orange zones as of June 22nd. The same goes for swimming pools.

Cinemas, theatres and museums

Theatres and museums can begin to reopen as of June 2nd in green zones, while orange zones must wait until June 22nd.

Cinemas can reopen in the whole country as of June 22nd.

Wearing a mask will be mandatory in all these spaces.

What does not change..

Groups are still limited to a maximum of 10 people in public spaces, "contact sports" will not be allowed, night clubs, game rooms and show rooms will remain closed.
Working form home is still recommended.

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