In a televised speech to the country on Thursday night, President Emmanuel Macron announced sweeping new measures to try and contain the virus that had contaminated over 2,870 people so far and claimed the lives of 61 people.
"I want to be very clear with you tonight," the French President said. “We are only at the beginning of the epidemic."
Macron said he would not postpone the upcoming municipal elections, due to be held on Sunday March 15th and March 22nd.
"There is nothing to suggest the French shouldn't go to the polls," he
said, refuting claims that the elections could not be held because
people would abstain from voting out of fear of the virus.
While urging everyone who could to work from home and limit their own
movements as much as possible, he said public transport would run as
usual.
The president urged all French businesses to let their workers do télétravail, work from home, if possible.
"The state will bear the financial burden of the people who have to
stay home," Macron said, as he announced what he said would be
"exceptional measures" to help businesses cope with any financial losses
following the new measures.
"We won't add fear of bankruptcy and unemployment to the sanitary crisis," he said.
The traditional winter truce (trêve hivernal) which prevents
landlords from evicting tenants during coldest months, was due to end on
March 31st will be extended by two months.
But he did warn that borders could close but decisions needed to be taken at a European level.
European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday
slammed "the complacency and slow motion process" of governments in the
eurozone area in particular.
