After a surge in COVID-19 cases among people between 20 and 30 years old, bars and festive gatherings have been outlawed in Paris. The guidance will not affect restaurants.
The new restrictions go into effect today, October 6th, in response to a worrying upwards trend in coronavirus cases. On Sunday France reported over 12,000 new cases, and Regional Health Authority Director Aurelien Rousseau told the Associated Press that the Paris area alone has recently accounted for 3,500 cases per day. 36% of ICU beds are now occupied by COVID-19 patients.
French authorities sought to curb the spread of the virus by imposing a 10:00 PM bar and nightclub curfew at the end of September similar to the one enacted in the U.K. Paris and Marseilles were two of the 11 territories affected by the cutoff.
Some might argue that France’s current reality resulted from lawmakers’ failure to act quickly. After experiencing their own surges in coronavirus cases in July and August, Italy and Spain reintroduced nightlife bans much sooner. In Barcelona, however, the first-ever rapid-test-on-entry event will take place at Sala Apolo towards the end of October.
French authorities have not indicated how long the ban on bars and festive gatherings will remain in effect.
Image credit: Alexander Popov
