Paris is to be placed on maximum Covid-19 alert, meaning bars will be forced to close for two weeks starting today and restaurants will have to put in place new sanitary protocols to stay open, the prime minister’s office has said.

According to Reuters, Prime Minister Jean Castex’s office said there had been no improvement in the Paris region since the capital passed all three of the government’s criteria for being put on the highest level of alert mid last week.

Working from home should be prioritised “now more than ever” in the Paris area and university lecture halls should be no more than half full, Castex’s office said in a statement.

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