French President Emmanuel Macron announced a three-week nationwide school closure and a one-month domestic travel ban to fight the spread of the coronavirus.In a televised address to the nation Wednesday night, Macron says efforts are needed as "the epidemic is accelerating." The move is a departure from the government's policy in recent months, which has focused on regionalized restrictions. School closures were seen as a last resort.Paris hospital officials warned they'd have to start refusing patients for lack of space. The total number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care in France surged past 5,000 on Tuesday, the first time in 11 months the figure has been that high.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Previous nationwide lockdowns in France were in March and October 2020.Video: South African researcher helped find virus variant
French President Emmanuel Macron announced a three-week nationwide school closure and a one-month domestic travel ban to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
In a televised address to the nation Wednesday night, Macron says efforts are needed as "the epidemic is accelerating." The move is a departure from the government's policy in recent months, which has focused on regionalized restrictions. School closures were seen as a last resort.
Paris hospital officials warned they'd have to start refusing patients for lack of space. The total number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care in France surged past 5,000 on Tuesday, the first time in 11 months the figure has been that high.
Previous nationwide lockdowns in France were in March and October 2020.
Video: South African researcher helped find virus variant
