France is closing its borders to people arriving from outside the European Union starting Sunday to try to stop the spread of new variants of the coronavirus.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the measure Friday night after an emergency government health security meeting at the presidential palace, warning of a “great risk” from the new variants.
All those arriving from other EU countries will be required to produce a negative virus test, he says. France will close all large shopping centers starting Sunday and limit travel to and from its overseas territories.
Castex ordered stepped up police checks of those who violate France’s 12-hour-a-day curfew, hold secret parties or reopen restaurants in defiance of a closure order in place since October.
Virus infections, hospitalizations and deaths have been rising steadily but not sharply in recent weeks. Many doctors have been urging a new nationwide shutdown like those imposed in several other European countries.
Less than a week ago, the government's top scientific adviser on the epidemic said that France probably needed to move into a third lockdown.
But Castex said the announced measures on Friday are an attempt to avoid the economic cost of such a lockdown.
Currently, more than 60% of intensive care beds are occupied by coronavirus patients.
France recorded 22,858 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking the total to 3.15 million.
It has reported more than 75,000 deaths, seventh highest in the world.
A shortage in vaccine supplies from pharmaceutical firms Pfizer and Moderna has resulted in a sharp slowdown in France's vaccine deployment.
The health ministry said in a statement that 1.45 million people had been vaccinated so far.
