France expands nationwide 'economic blockade'

France has entered a national blockade with the third epidemic of the novel coronavirus infection (Covid-19).

According to the Reuters news agency on the 31st (hereafter local time), French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a TV speech that afternoon, saying, “If we do not deal with it now, we may lose control.” It will be expanded to all over France for at least 4 weeks starting on March 3,” he announced. It is the third national movement restriction after March 17 and October 30 last year.

Accordingly, when traveling outside of a 10km radius of a residential area between 6 am and 7 pm in France, you must carry a movement confirmation letter, and movement between regions is restricted except for unavoidable reasons.

In addition, non-essential stores other than essential stores cannot be operated. In principle, work is done from home. Also, until April 26, kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, and high school will be closed for three weeks.

President Macron also announced plans to add 3,000 intensive care units (ICUs) in the most affected areas.

The announcement came amid the spread of the mutant virus in France, the number of COVID19 confirmed cases is on the rise, and the intensive care unit (ICU) is nearing saturation.

French health officials announced that 569 new intensive care unit (ICU) patients had occurred on the 30th alone, the highest since October 4 last year. The number of COVID 19 deaths has also increased significantly from the previous week (250) to an average of 350 per day for the past 7 days. According to World O Meter, an international statistics website, the number of new COVID19 confirmed cases in France on the 25th was 45641, the highest since last November.

The French Federation of Hospitals (FHF) had urged the government last week to issue a blockade to prevent medical paralysis, warning that wards across the country will face unprecedented shock within weeks if they fail to break the rise in new cases .

Reuters reported that the pace of recovery in France's recession is likely to be slowed by the national movement restrictions. The French Ministry of Finance and Economy estimates that 150,000 companies will be temporarily closed according to the blockade, resulting in losses of 11 billion euros (about 14 trillion won) per month. In addition, as France is the second largest economy in the eurozone (19 countries using euros), the news agency predicted that the blockade could act as a negative factor for the recovery of the European economy. In particular, there is concern about delays in vaccine supply from the European Union (EU).

President Macron said, "We aim to inoculate 30 million people by mid-June," he also stressed that the vaccination campaign should be accelerated. In France, which began vaccination against COVID19 from the end of December last year, only 8 million people, or 12% of the population, have completed the first vaccination.