It will be forbidden to dance in bars and restaurants in France from Friday morning until January 6 inclusive, a period during which nightclubs will have to close their doors as part of the new anti-COVID measures decided by the French government, according to a decree published on Wednesday.
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The discotheques “cannot welcome the public until January 6 inclusive” from Friday 6 am, according to the decree which adds that “this prohibition applies until the same date to the activities of dance” of the bars and restaurants.
A study published in November in the medical journal The Lancet, the ComCor study by the Institut Pasteur carried out from May 23 to August 13, concluded that nightclubs were “places at high risk of transmission” because they are enclosed spaces with poor ventilation, where the coronavirus can more easily stay suspended in the air. The discotheques had reopened in France on July 9, with vaccination passport, after 16 months of closure.
The owners of nightclubs have been compensated, and will be compensated again to compensate for the losses of the coming weeks, but they complain that other party places will be able to remain open.
On Tuesday, a nightclub owner questioned President Emmanuel Macron while he was strolling through the center of Vierzon (Cher), telling him “it’s us again that you are closing, the 1,200 establishments” in France, “we don’t ask. no alms, we want to work ”.
“You must not believe that you are stigmatized”, replied Emmanuel Macron. Unlike restaurants and bars, where “we are seated”, “most of the time we are not around a table” in nightclubs, he explained to the boss who complained of a difference. treatment between these establishments.
“We will try to reopen as quickly as possible, I agree to it”, added the president, assuring that the discotheques would “be compensated in an exemplary manner to keep up during this period”.
Prime Minister Jean Castex noted that wearing a mask, which had become compulsory at the end of November in all places closed in France even with the vaccination passport, was “extremely difficult (to enforce) in these establishments”.