PARIS – France said Monday that it would follow other European countries in confining residents mostly to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the European Union considered closing its external borders to foreign travelers to impede infections.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that starting on Tuesday, people would be allowed to leave the place they live only for necessary activities such as shopping for food, going to work or taking a walk.
“From tomorrow at noon and for at least 15 days, our trips will be greatly reduced” Macron said in a televised address.
Macron said the government would provide further details, but he told the French people that everyone should stay at home, go out just for the “bare essentials” and commute to work only if working from home isn’t feasible.
Anyone caught violating the new measures will be punished, he said.
The restrictions appeared to put France under a lockdown similar to the ones imposed last week in Italy and Spain in response to the virus. While the restrictions are in effect, residential gatherings with family and friends will be prohibited, the president said.
“We are at war,” Macron said repeatedly in his address.
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner subsequently specified that all people circulating on France’s streets will have to justify, upon request, why they were out and about. Forms stating the purpose of “essential” outside travel — such as going to the bakery to buy a baguette — will be available for downloading, Castaner said.
People without valid reasons will be subject fines ranging from 38-135 euros ($43-$151), the minister said. Castaner said 100,000 police would be deployed in the coming days to enforce the lockdown.
The French plan was announced almost a week after a nationwide lockdown took effect in Italy, the country with the most reported virus cases in the world except for China.
Spain followed suit over the weekend, while other EU nations have adopted ad hoc national measures, including partial border closures.
As of earlier Monday, six of the 10 countries with the highest numbers of reported virus cases worldwide are in Europe: Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland and the U.K. France has reported a total of 6,633 cases, including 148 deaths.
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