France will impose measures including weekend lockdowns in Paris and 19 other regions from the start of March if signs of the coronavirus accelerating persist, French prime minister Jean Castex said on Thursday, reports the National Post.
Castex said a new nationwide lockdown was not on the agenda, but said French citizens needed to be in a state of heightened alert to make sure they contain the spread of the virus while vaccines are rolled out.
“The country’s health situation has deteriorated over the past few days. We should only resort to a lockdown when we have no other choice,” he said in a televised address.
“We must do all that we can to delay it, to give time to the vaccination campaign to yield its effects,” Castex added.
The prime minister said the spread was worrying in 20 French departments – the country’s administrative regions – including Paris and the surrounding region.