France goes into lockdown in attempt to halt coronavirus spread
As of 12 noon on Tuesday, France is officially in lockdown with people ordered to stay at home for at least the next 15 days.
French president Emmanuel Macron announced the measures on Monday night, and they officially took effect at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 17th.
For the next 15 days everyone must stay at home, trips outside the home are only permitted for specific essential activities.
Anyone outside their home will need a form stating their reasons for being out and must stay 1 metre apart from other people.
READ ALSO Coronavirus lockdown form - how it works and where to find it
In the final hours before the lockdown began, people did last-minute shopping, with long queues outside many stores (although food shopping will still be permitted as an essential activity).
There's a rush on supermarkets this morning in Paris as people try to squeeze in a last shop ahead of the noon deadline, with people in the queue leaving space between each other. Some older people are wearing face masks (where on earth did they get them?) #COVID19france
— Camille (@camcomments) March 17, 2020
Many stores were so busy they were restricting entry and panic-buying seems to have belatedly arrived in France as aisles including pasta, rice, eggs and tinned tomatoes were stripped bare.
The biggest queue I've seen so far is this one, for the largest supermarket in the area. It winds from the entrance to half way down an adjacent side street. #COVID19france pic.twitter.com/fSaDNphdhi
— Camille (@camcomments) March 17, 2020
My local boulangerie, and note the distancing between people in the queue. Then the queue outside the pharmacy! #Rambouillet #CoronavirusFrance pic.twitter.com/8ByurcEvBe
— Mark Owen (@markowenf24) March 17, 2020
This video of a store in the northern Paris suburbs is making the rounds. Keep in mind this is a poor neighborhood where many probably weren't able to take off time - and get paid - and go shopping earlier.
It only shows how difficult life is for many with less money. https://t.co/rlDVHrQdW7
— ChrisInParis (@ChrisInParis) March 17, 2020
Meanwhile many people used the time to get to the place they wanted to wait out the lockdown - particularly in Paris which saw a scramble to leave the capital.
“It's very impressive, it's barely 6.30am and people are running to the trains," a French reporter said in the clip below from Paris' Montparnasse station.
"They are saying that they want to leave Paris to stay with family or friends in the countryside," she said, adding that "most of them had started thinking about leaving at the end of it last week."
Confinement: de nombreux voyageurs tentent de quitter Paris avant midi à la gare Montparnasse pic.twitter.com/FoeZ9WJDyS
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) March 17, 2020
Another French journalist also described scenes of what he called "people fleeing Paris" in the Montparnasse train station on Tuesday morning.
C'est la fuite hors de Paris à gare Montparnasse. Beaucoup de jeunes qui se rendent dans leur famille pour y passer leur confinement. Beaucoup de très grosses valises, signe qu'on ne prévoit pas de revenir si tôt dans la capitale... #COVID19france #confinementtotal pic.twitter.com/akiZy3XJ8D
— Pierre Tremblay (@tremblay_p) March 16, 2020
"Many young people are going to see their family for the lockdown," he wrote.
"Many people are carrying big suitcases, a sign that they're not planning on a quick return to the capital."
Not everyone was happy about what the French newspaper Le Figaro described "an exodus of Parisians" on Tuesday morning.
https://t.co/ly0pNdUXbZ Parisiens qui fuit Paris est qui s'entassent a la gare favorisent la vitesse de propagation l'expansion géographique du virus. c'est de l'inconscience ? de la stupidité?individualisme ? de la collaboration avec le virus? #COVID19france #collabo #Honte
— rinoren (@rinoren5) March 17, 2020
"Parisians fleeing Paris.. are accelerating the geographic spread of the virus," this Twitter user said, adding "is this stupidity? Individualism?"
The lockdown had been widely rumoured for some days, with many people heading to the seaside, countryside or the parks over the weekend to enjoy the beautiful weather, conscious that it may be their last trip out for some time.
The lockdown measures are initially in place for 15 days, although this could be extended if the situation changes.
The last few days have also seen a scramble of tourists heading home, as increasing travel restrictions mean that international travel is now very difficult.
READ ALSO What's the latest on travelling to and from France?
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French president Emmanuel Macron announced the measures on Monday night, and they officially took effect at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 17th.
For the next 15 days everyone must stay at home, trips outside the home are only permitted for specific essential activities.
Anyone outside their home will need a form stating their reasons for being out and must stay 1 metre apart from other people.
READ ALSO Coronavirus lockdown form - how it works and where to find it
In the final hours before the lockdown began, people did last-minute shopping, with long queues outside many stores (although food shopping will still be permitted as an essential activity).
There's a rush on supermarkets this morning in Paris as people try to squeeze in a last shop ahead of the noon deadline, with people in the queue leaving space between each other. Some older people are wearing face masks (where on earth did they get them?) #COVID19france
— Camille (@camcomments) March 17, 2020
Many stores were so busy they were restricting entry and panic-buying seems to have belatedly arrived in France as aisles including pasta, rice, eggs and tinned tomatoes were stripped bare.
The biggest queue I've seen so far is this one, for the largest supermarket in the area. It winds from the entrance to half way down an adjacent side street. #COVID19france pic.twitter.com/fSaDNphdhi
— Camille (@camcomments) March 17, 2020
My local boulangerie, and note the distancing between people in the queue. Then the queue outside the pharmacy! #Rambouillet #CoronavirusFrance pic.twitter.com/8ByurcEvBe
— Mark Owen (@markowenf24) March 17, 2020
This video of a store in the northern Paris suburbs is making the rounds. Keep in mind this is a poor neighborhood where many probably weren't able to take off time - and get paid - and go shopping earlier.
— ChrisInParis (@ChrisInParis) March 17, 2020
It only shows how difficult life is for many with less money. https://t.co/rlDVHrQdW7
Meanwhile many people used the time to get to the place they wanted to wait out the lockdown - particularly in Paris which saw a scramble to leave the capital.
“It's very impressive, it's barely 6.30am and people are running to the trains," a French reporter said in the clip below from Paris' Montparnasse station.
"They are saying that they want to leave Paris to stay with family or friends in the countryside," she said, adding that "most of them had started thinking about leaving at the end of it last week."
Confinement: de nombreux voyageurs tentent de quitter Paris avant midi à la gare Montparnasse pic.twitter.com/FoeZ9WJDyS
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) March 17, 2020
Another French journalist also described scenes of what he called "people fleeing Paris" in the Montparnasse train station on Tuesday morning.
C'est la fuite hors de Paris à gare Montparnasse. Beaucoup de jeunes qui se rendent dans leur famille pour y passer leur confinement. Beaucoup de très grosses valises, signe qu'on ne prévoit pas de revenir si tôt dans la capitale... #COVID19france #confinementtotal pic.twitter.com/akiZy3XJ8D
— Pierre Tremblay (@tremblay_p) March 16, 2020
"Many young people are going to see their family for the lockdown," he wrote.
"Many people are carrying big suitcases, a sign that they're not planning on a quick return to the capital."
Not everyone was happy about what the French newspaper Le Figaro described "an exodus of Parisians" on Tuesday morning.
https://t.co/ly0pNdUXbZ Parisiens qui fuit Paris est qui s'entassent a la gare favorisent la vitesse de propagation l'expansion géographique du virus. c'est de l'inconscience ? de la stupidité?individualisme ? de la collaboration avec le virus? #COVID19france #collabo #Honte
— rinoren (@rinoren5) March 17, 2020
"Parisians fleeing Paris.. are accelerating the geographic spread of the virus," this Twitter user said, adding "is this stupidity? Individualism?"
The lockdown had been widely rumoured for some days, with many people heading to the seaside, countryside or the parks over the weekend to enjoy the beautiful weather, conscious that it may be their last trip out for some time.
The lockdown measures are initially in place for 15 days, although this could be extended if the situation changes.
The last few days have also seen a scramble of tourists heading home, as increasing travel restrictions mean that international travel is now very difficult.
READ ALSO What's the latest on travelling to and from France?
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