- Title: France will end coronavirus emergency health powers on July 10
- Date: 10th June 2020
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 10, 2020) (AGENCY POOL) FRENCH GOVERNMENT SPOKESWOMAN, SIBETH NDIAYE, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE, WITH FINANCE MINISTER, BRUNO LE MAIRE, AND BUDGET MINISTER, GERALD DARMANIN (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH GOVERNMENT SPOKESWOMAN, SIBETH NDIAYE, SAYING: "We see well that today's health conditions are extremely different from what we have lived through in M
- Embargoed: 24th June 2020 13:09
- Keywords: France Sibeth Ndiaye coronavirus end government state of emergency
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CHSFVBB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: France will end special government powers brought in to deal with the coronavirus pandemic on July 10 though it will retain the ability to curb gatherings and freedom of movement for four months, France's government spokeswoman said on Wednesday (June 10).
As coronavirus infections spiralled out of control in March, France passed "state of health emergency" legislation which gave the government the power to restrict civil liberties by decree without parliamentary approval.
With data showing the virus may be fading and the number of people in intensive care continuing to steadily decline since the government lifted its lockdown on May 11, France is now confident it can also end the emergency legislation.
"This end of the state of health emergency is good news, since it means essentially that although we have not yet won the battle, we've scored points against COVID-19," spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye said at a news briefing.
However, the cabinet approved on Wednesday a new bill that will allow the government to restrict freedom of movement, make face masks compulsory on public transport, shut businesses and ban gatherings for another four months.
France, which has the third highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe after the United Kingdom and Italy, has eased many of its strict lockdown measures with shops, holiday resorts and tourist attractions slowly reopening.
Nevertheless, people are still being encouraged to wear face masks when outside and stay at least one metre apart while most employees are continuing to work from home.
France's coronavirus death toll stands at 29,296, the fifth-highest in the world. On Tuesday (June 9), the number of people in intensive care fell below 1,000 for the first time since March 19.
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