Twenty departments in France and one northern province in Poland have had stricter measures enforced From this weekend to stem the spread of COVID-19 following localised infection surges.
ADVERTISEMENTDunkirk in Northern France is one of 20 departments that has entered a stricter lockdown phase this weekend. One in 100 people contract Covid-19 each week there, according to according to Health Minister Olivier Véran.
That means the agglomeration's 250,000 inhabitants must wear masks in urban areas, and can only travel for essential reasons. Dunkirk market is open with police controlling numbers, giving out hand sanitiser and enforcing mask-wearing.
France already has a nationwide 6pm curfew in place and now weekend lockdowns for those in certain areas mean a quasi-return to the early days of the pandemic. According to one local woman in Dunkirk, heading to the market is about the only thing people can do outside their home for the coming weekends:
"You have to go to the market on Saturday morning and then you come home and stay there, and that`'s it!"
The same rules apply in the Alpes Maritimes department in southeastern France where Nice is located. Inhabitants there can exercise or walk pets but for no longer than one hour and no further than 5 km from their home. In addtion, Nice's beaches will also be out of bounds for at least the next two weekends.
Meanwhile in Poland, the northeastern Warminsko-Mazurskie province has been named "a high-risk infection zone" following a surge in case numbers. That means hotels, cinemas, theatres and shopping centres are now closed until 14th March.
But some see the ratcheting-up of restrictions, including the ban on any scarves or face-mask substitutes, as prudent. A local man told reporters:
"We are already accustomed to these restrictions. Frankly speaking, I am glad that they are in force. I, myself had a hard time with COVID-19, and it irritates me when people ignore this situation and walk around with masks on their chins, or with scarves. So I support these measures."
Parents of students in grades one to three will have the burden of caring for children at home once again as classes move online.