French Residents Required to Stay Within 6 Miles of Home in New Lockdown Measures

France extended its COVID-19 lockdown nationwide for at least a month, President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday.

Starting Saturday, France will require residents to remain within about six miles of their homes, as well as close all non-essential shops, Macron announced in a televised address. The country’s 7 p.m. curfew will remain in place, and schools would move to remote learning.

“Everyone should limit their contacts with other people,” Macron said, according to The BBC, but added “the end of the tunnel” was in sight if people adhered to the restrictions.

This is an expansion of the lockdown that has been in place in Paris and some surrounding areas since earlier this month.

Macron said the lockdown — and an accelerated vaccine rollout — would allow France to slowly reopen by mid-May, with museums and outdoor bars and restaurants allowed to welcome guests once again.

The nationwide lockdown comes as the country has seen new infections double since February to average nearly 40,000 per day, Reuters reported.

At the same time, France’s vaccination campaign has hit some snags, including temporarily pausing the distribution of the AstraZeneca shot. So far, the country has inoculated about 12% of its population and hopes to vaccinate 30 million adults by mid-June, according to the wire service.

Vaccines will open to those over 60 on April 16, followed by those over 50 on May 15, Macron tweeted.

While heading off on a fabulous vacation in France isn’t possible right now, travelers can get their fix with Air France’s new safety video, which takes people through the Louvre, on a stroll through the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, and to the dreamy beaches of the French Riviera all from their computer screens.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she’s not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.

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