France could be hit with a new national lockdown by midnight on Thursday.
The country is bracing for a fresh lockdown that could thrust millions under restrictions for a month.
President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to give a televised address later today – widely tipped to be a new lockdown announcement, or an extension of local curfew measures.
His government has been exploring a new, national lockdown from midnight on Thursday, BFM TV reported.
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However it is said to be looking at a slightly more flexible lockdown than the two-month shutdown imposed in March, as anti-lockdown protests sweep other parts of Europe.
Schools could remain open, but millions could face restrictions on their everyday movements, French reports say.
The French government had already imposed a strict night-time curfew between 9pm to 6am on major cities, including Paris, Saint-Etienne, Toulouse and Lyon, two weeks ago.
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Despite the heavy measures, new infections have continued to surge.
Mr Macron’s office has not commented on whether Thursday’s announcement will herald a fresh set of restrictions.
However Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told French citizens to ‘expect difficult decisions’ ahead of the announcement.
According to the Mail Online, sources familiar with the plans say new restrictions could include people forced to stay in their homes at weekends, closing non-essential shops and starting curfew measures earlier.
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France is grappling with surging coronavirus rates once again as the winter months approach.
The government has said it is concerned its hospitals will become overwhelmed if virus rates aren’t curbed soon.
Official data on Tuesday showed that France had reported 523 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours.
It recorded 33,417 new cases. France’s death toll stood at 35,541 on Wednesday, and close to 2million confirmed coronavirus cases.
Professor Philippe Juvin, a leading member of Paris’ Georges-Pompidou hospital, told RTL
radio on Wednesday that France had to accept a new, national lockdown to tackle a resurgence of Covid-19.
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“We must take it up,” he said.
As France eyes fresh restrictions, anti-lockdown protests elsewhere in Europe turned ugly in recent weeks.
Violent protests swept major cities in Italy.
Luxury stores were ransacked in Turin, and molotov cocktails were hurled in Lombardy, northern Italy’s original virus epicentre.
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Protesters set rubbish bins on fire and had to be dispersed by riot police in Barcelona, as the anti-lockdown protests spread to Spain.
And police used tear gas and water cannons to break up protests in the Czech capital of Prague.
Last week, thousands of anti-lockdown demonstrators marched through London, with tensions flaring as the crowds reached Westminster Bridge.
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