The French government has told everyone to limit their movements as much as possible because of the coronavirus epidemic. Photo: AFP
As of 12 noon on Tuesday, France is officially on lockdown, which means people are only allowed out of their homes for specific reasons and only with a special form. Here’s how it works.
What are the rules?
As French president Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday night, the nation is now on lockdown and people must stay in their homes except for certain carefully defined exceptions.
The lockdown was part of a package of restrictions introduced as France battles to contain the spread of the virus and the message from the president was very simple ‘to protect yourself and protect the most vulnerable in society – stay at home’.
Everybody should be working from home if that is possible with their job, and employers are obliged to organise home working and adapt their business practices if necessary.
So when can I leave my home?
The French government has listed the acceptable reasons for going outside. They are;
-
To work, if your work is essential and cannot be done from home
-
To shop for essential items. Most shops in France are now closed but food shops, pharmacies and tabacs (tobacco shops) remain open
-
For medical appointments or other health-related reasons
-
For vital family reasons eg urgent care for children or the elderly. Simply visiting family is not a good enough reason to be out and the government has previously said that no-one should be visiting people aged over 70 or with serious health conditions except to provide vital assistance. Visiting is banned at all Ehpad retirement homes and care facilities
-
Physical exercise. Unlike Spain, where this is banned, trips outside the home to take exercise are still allowed. However there are some conditions – you have to go on your own and cannot play group sports. So going for a run alone is OK, going to play street football is not. If you have a dog, you are also allowed to walk it.
And I need a form?
Yes, every time you leave your home you need to fill in a form, and it needs to be a new form for each trip. The form can be downloaded here (although the Interior Ministry’s site was clearly struggling with traffic levels on Tuesday morning).
Anyone who does not have a printer can hand write their own version, including their full name, address, date of birth, plus reasons for travel. The form must be signed and dated that day.
Formal cards or passes from the medical profession and journalists will also be accepted in lieu of a form if people are out performing professional duties.
When do I need the form?
The lockdown comes into force at 12 noon on Tuesday, but forms will not be required until Wednesday. In the meantime police will be given extra training on the process and the rules around lockdown.
Interior Minister Cristophe Castaner said that 100,000 law enforcement professionals will be involved in implementing the rules, and there will be roadblocks on major and secondary routes, as well as police out on the streets checking paperwork.
Contrary to rumours, the army are not at this stage involved in policing the lockdown.
What if I don’t have it?
If you are out on the streets with no form you face a fine. The fines will initially be €38 but could rise to €135 if people do not respect the rules.
