Xinhua
25 Nov 2020, 03:00 GMT+10
The Champs-Elysees Avenue and the Arc de Triomphe are seen after the Christmas illuminations were switched on in Paris, France, Nov. 22, 2020. The lighting ceremony was held on Sunday, but no audience was allowed on site due to lockdown measures against the COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
France reported 9,155 new infections in a 24-hour span, taking the total number of cases to 2,153,815. With 458 new deaths, the accumulative fatalities reached 50,237 since the start of the pandemic.
PARIS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- French people will enjoy more freedom in outdoor exercises starting Saturday, and the nationwide coronavirus lockdown could be lifted on Dec. 15 if health conditions are met, President Emmanuel Macron announced Tuesday in a TV address.
"A new page will open on Saturday, Nov. 28," said Macron. Starting Saturday, outdoor exercises will be allowed for up to three hours a day, and people can go up to 20 km from their homes. Currently, people can only go out for exercise for one hour and in a radius of one km.
Starting Saturday, non-essential shops will also be allowed to reopen until 9 p.m. and under strict health conditions, Macron said.
If the objectives of current restrictive measures are reached, the nationwide coronavirus lockdown will be further lifted on Dec. 15, with cinemas, theaters and museums allowed to reopen under strict health protocols, he said.
A woman wearing a mask walks past a closed restaurant in Paris, France, Nov. 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
While France could lift the nationwide coronavirus lockdown on Dec. 15, a 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew will apply to the whole country, said the president. Restaurants and sports halls will be able to reopen on Jan. 20, he added.
"We must continue our efforts," Macron said, urging people to limit "unnecessary travel" as much as possible.
Since September, coronavirus infections in France had spiraled to levels much higher than in the first wave of the pandemic, dragging the country into its second nationwide lockdown on Oct. 30.
France reported 9,155 new infections in a 24-hour span, taking the total number of cases to 2,153,815. With 458 new deaths, the accumulative fatalities reached 50,237 since the start of the pandemic.
As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, countries including France, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are racing to find a vaccine.
According to the website of the World Health Organization, as of Nov. 12, there were 212 COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed worldwide, and 48 of them were in clinical trials.
An old couple walk on a street in Paris, France, Nov. 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)■
Get a daily dose of Europe Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Europe Sun.
More InformationDHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama turned 90 on July 6, celebrated by thousands of followers in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala,...
ZAGREB, Croatia: A massive concert by popular Croatian singer Marko Perković, known by his stage name Thompson, has drawn widespread...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Elon Musk's entry into the political arena is drawing pushback from top U.S. officials and investors, as his decision...
CULVER CITY, California: TikTok is preparing to roll out a separate version of its app for U.S. users, as efforts to secure a sale...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump claimed he was unaware that the term shylock is regarded as antisemitic when he used it in...
PARIS, France: A strike by French air traffic controllers demanding improved working conditions caused significant disruptions during...
OTTAWA, Canada: With Canada Post struggling to maintain operations amid labour unrest, rivals like FedEx and UPS are stepping in to...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. and global markets showed a mixed performance in Tuesday's trading session, with some indices edging higher...
PARIS, France: French military and intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a covert campaign to damage the reputation...
NEW DELHI, India: Birkenstock is stepping up its efforts to protect its iconic sandals in India, as local legal representatives conducted...
HONG KONG: China has fired back at the European Union in an escalating trade dispute by imposing new restrictions on medical device...
NEW YORK, New York - Monday's trading session saw mixed performances across U.S. and global markets, with several major indices posting...