France contemplates ‘targeted measures,’ seeks to avoid lockdown

President Emmanuel Macron’s government is seeking to avoid a third full lockdown, which would crush the economy and could prove political costly some 14 months before presidential elections.

France is reviewing local coronavirus hot spots on a case-by-case basis, and has decided to implement “targeted measures” to prevent the spread of new and more virulent variants.

French President Emmanuel Macron adjusts his face mask as he attends a video conference meeting. (AFP)

The situation is worrying in about 10 areas,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

President Emmanuel Macron’s government is seeking to avoid a third full lockdown, which would crush the economy and could prove political costly some 14 months before presidential elections. The country is already implementing a nationwide curfew that runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., but amid a sluggish vaccine roll out officials have warned that isn’t enough.

While France has seen an average of about 20,000 new cases a day since December, and intensive care occupancy recently showing a slight rise to 67%, there’s an increasingly large regional variation.

The region of Alpes-Maritimes in the south, including Nice, is being shuttered over the coming two weekends to avoid gatherings during school holidays. The Paris region is under scrutiny as cases continue to rise there.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex will speak during the government’s weekly presser on Thursday, Attal said.