COVID-19: Bleak Christmas Beckons As France Declares New Lockdown
The French are presently consumed by anxiety over a possible bleak Christmas with President Emmanuel Macron warning that the country’s health system is “overwhelmed” by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
There are serious concerns everywhere about this year’s Christmas celebration as Macron took France into another lockdown at midnight on Thursday, October 29, 2020. The latest countrywide action is expected to run until at least December.
A dash by Parisians to either escape the new national lockdown or scramble back to the French capital to prepare for the restrictions caused record traffic jams in the city on Thursday night.
The movement in and out of the city created 706km (438 miles) of traffic on roads in the region by 6pm, according to France’s traffic department.
Giving the worrying hike in fresh virus infections, health experts are already cautioning that festivities during the Yuletide season would be hugely affected in the country.
The argument being put forward is that the Macron administration will not want to risk relaxing the COVID-19 protocols to fears of possible abuse by citizens.
On its part, Germany is also not taking chances strengthening measures aimed at curbing the virus spread.
The German authorities have already concluded arrangements on shuttering its hospitality and leisure sectors from Monday, November 2, 2020
In Spain, Health Ministry data showed a new record in daily cases.
The Ministry reports disclosed that a further 23,580 infections has brought the nation’s tally to 1,136,503 cases.
The Spanish government voted on Thursday in favour of a six-month extension of the state of emergency.
The development allows Spain’s 17 regional governments to limit mobility, impose curfews and shut their borders with other regions as part of measures to curb the virus spread in ¹
