PARIS, Jan 13 (Reuters) – Schools in France do not have to close but new restrictive measures need to be taken to slow further coronavirus diseases and in particular the spread of the British variant, the government’s chief scientific adviser said on Wednesday.
“We believe that English language data on the variant is not conclusive enough to force school closures in France,” Delfraissy told franceinfo radio.
He said the British variant accounted for about 1% of new COVID-19 infections in France.
“The first challenge is not to eradicate it but to slow down progress by taking a number of limited steps,” he continued.
President Emmanuel Macron is meeting with senior ministers Wednesday morning to discuss possible further tensions.
Nationwide curfews could be extended to 6pm from 8pm, as has already happened in some parts of the east and south – east, French media reported.
Reciting with Benoit Van Overstraeten; Edited by Richard Lough