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Deconfinement in France: key June and summer dates
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has announced phase two of deconfinement in France, with restrictions easing on travel, shops, parks, public spaces, cafés and restaurants. We list the key dates so far.
Phase two is expected to last until at least June 21.
In his address yesterday (Thursday May 28), with health minister Olivier Véran and national education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, Mr Philippe said: “This freedom implies constraints...We will continue to limit the forms of social life that are the most conducive to the transmission of the virus: contact sports, nightclubs, large groupings of people.
“The rate of spread of the virus is at this stage ‘under control’. This means that we are where we hoped to be at the end of May and even a little better than we had hoped to be. This is good news. Things are looking good, but not good enough to return everything back to normal."
He added: "Today all the indicators [for virus transmission] are green except in two departments: Val d'Oise and Mayotte [but] this does not mean that the virus is no longer circulating.
“We need to remain very vigilant. Freedom will, finally, be the rule, and restriction the exception."
Nous allons surveiller avec une vigilance particulière les départements d’île-de-France, la Guyane et Mayotte, où le virus circule plus qu’ailleurs. Dans ces départements « oranges », le #déconfinement sera, pour 3 semaines, un peu plus prudent que sur le reste du territoire. pic.twitter.com/5bgWownjoF
— Edouard Philippe (@EPhilippe_LH) May 28, 2020
June 2
The 100km travel limit is set to be lifted.
Beaches, parks, gardens, lakes, gyms, swimming pools, museums, and monuments to reopen in green zones. Local authorities can choose whether to make mask-wearing mandatory, depending on the site.
Theatres, concert halls and sports halls to reopen in green zones.
Hotels, B&Bs, campsites, and gîtes in green zones allowed to reopen.
Read more: 20 pools to reopen with new rules in France
Read more: Covid-19: France plans gradual sporting return
Read more: French residents can plan summer holidays in France
Cafés and restaurants are permitted to reopen across France. All venues must maintain a 1m gap between tables. Staff will wear masks and groups will be limited to 10 people. Customers will be required to wear masks while moving around, but can remove them at their tables.
In Paris and parts of Ile de France (orange zones) meanwhile, only outdoor seating will be permitted in the first instance.
Read more: Will a mask be needed to visit a café in France?
Read more: Protective domes to help French restaurants reopen?
Groups still limited to a maximum of 10 people in public spaces.
Working from home is still recommended.
Controversial smartphone app, StopCovid, to be available to download on smartphones from June 2. Mr Philippe said it was “not a magic wand…[but] a very powerful complementary instrument”. He reminded people that it did not work through “geolocalisation”, and that “the State will never have access to your data”.
Read more: France StopCovid app: How it works and how to get it
More schools and collèges set to reopen, including all primary schools, and some lycées, with class sizes restricted to 15.
Yet, the French Bac oral exam, due to be taken by lycée students this summer, has been cancelled. Marks will instead be awarded based on marks from the first two terms.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has also cautioned against moving around too much. He said: "The less we move around, the less we spread the virus.
"I call on the public to show the same kind of responsibility as they have been showing throughout the crisis."
June 15
Border restrictions and travel into France from European countries to be lifted.
“Reciprocal” voluntary quarantines likely to be in place for people arriving in France from countries that have their own quarantines for people arriving from France, such as the UK.
Decision to be made on whether to relax/open border restrictions on arrivals into France from outside the European Union.
Read more: Can we travel to our second home in France in June?
Read more: Read more: UK clarifies 14-day quarantine rules
June 22
Beaches, parks, gardens, lakes, gyms, and swimming pools to reopen in orange zones.
Theatres, concert halls, and sports halls to reopen in orange zones.
Hotels, B&Bs, campsites, gîtes, and holiday villages allowed to reopen in orange zones.
Cinemas to reopen, with mask-wearing mandatory.
July onwards
Nightclubs, large indoor gatherings, and group sports will remain closed and/or prohibited during phase two. An announcement on the reopening of these is expected by July, and almost certainly by June 22.
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