Covid-19: A second stay-at-home order

President Emmanuel Macron’s speech on Thursday (October 29th) was widely followed by the French and, without surprise, a second stay-at-home order was announced. According to the Head of State and his advisers, only a lockdown could significantly curb the number of contaminations that has reached peaks in recent days. Let’s see the key points of the new stay-at-home order.

Closed businesses and teleworking

As during the first stay-at-home order, only the so-called essential businesses could remain open. These include food stores, pharmacies, garages... A decree of 29 October gives the precise list. Other businesses had to remain closed as of October 30, midnight. However, a grace period until Sunday November 1st was granted to the florists, in order to allow the French to go to the cemeteries for All Saints’Day.

Beside businesses, places welcoming the public, except some administrations, nurseries, elementary, middle and high schools, are also closed. On the other hand, higher education institutions are obliged to deliver their lectures online.

Companies must, where possible, let their employees telework. When this is not possible, however, they will be able to operate as usual provided, of course, that they comply with health protocols, which have just been updated.

Finally, all private meetings outside the family nucleus are prohibited. Only visits to long-term dependency care centers (EPHAD - Etablissements d’Hébergement pour Personnes Agées Dépendantes) and nursing homes are allowed, in accordance with a strict health protocol.

Limited travel

Except for compelling reasons (work, medical appointments, assistance to vulnerable people, essential shopping, taking your dog out or doing some physical exercise near your home), it is forbidden to leave your home. As during the first stay-at-home order, whenever you leave home, you need to have with you a certificate that can be downloaded or filled on the Government website. Travel beyond 100 km is also prohibited except for compelling professional or health reasons. However, in order to allow returns from holidays, the police were called to show tolerance until Sunday evening, November 1st.

This new stay-at-home order is expected to end on November 30th, 2020 if the level of contamination declines rapidly and sharply.