CURFEW. In effect since January 2, the curfew from 6 p.m. would have positive effects on the epidemic, even if it is still a little premature to draw definitive conclusions. What are the rules?
[Mis à jour le 22 janvier 2021 à 14h55] Would the “curfew” effect already “be felt”, as the Minister of Health said on France Inter on January 19? “According to the figures available to me last night, we could see that in the fifteen departments which had been put under curfew at 6 p.m. on January 2, the incidence and the number of new diagnoses were rather down”, Olivier Véran explained a fortnight after the establishment of the curfew at 6 p.m. in fifteen departments. According to the minister, this development represents a drop of 16% over one week. As a reminder, the incidence rate relates to the number of positive cases in one week per 100,000 inhabitants. At the national level, the test may seem conclusive, but regional disparities are observed in certain territories particularly affected by the virus, in particular La Nièvre or the Alpes-Maritimes. As the mathematician Jean-Stéphane Dhersin explains on franceinfo, this “better overall behavior” in the first fifteen departments should not be “over-interpreted” compared to the 86 other departments.
Another point to be taken into account: hospitalizations, a determining criterion for teacher-researcher Pascal Crépey, who “prefers to wait for the impact of hospital admissions”, to assess the success of this measure. In an interview with franceinfo, the expert believes that this indicator in hospitals is “much more stable than the incidence”. Moreover, it is still a little early to determine whether the progress of the curfew has made it possible to reduce the number of severe cases of the disease, these severe forms generally only appearing 15 to 20 days after contamination. We must therefore be patient a little longer to have a broader vision of the benefits of the curfew.
For now, this measure reduces authorized trips after 6 p.m. on national territory. Several reasons are no longer accepted: extra-curricular activities (music, sport, etc.), walks to stretch your legs or even shopping after 6 p.m. in stores (which will be closed) are therefore prohibited. In recent days, you will note all the same that several businesses have taken the decision to advance the opening hours in order to avoid congestion on weekends and around 4 / 5pm.
On the other hand, certain exemptions are indeed provided for: the outings of pets, public transport connections, childcare, home delivery or even school bus services. Obviously, completing the derogatory travel certificate will always be an obligation for any trip outside the home. As a reminder, any breach of these rules, which we detail in our article below, may be subject to a fine of 135 euros. According to figures communicated by the Ministry of the Interior, nearly 5,900 minutes were drawn up on Saturday evening.
If all metropolitan departments are affected by the curfew from 6 p.m. this Saturday, January 16, 25 departments were already affected by this advanced curfew. The Cher, Allier, Côte-d’Or, Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin, Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Bouches-du-Rhône, had joined the 15 departments that initiated the extension. It was Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Ardennes, Doubs, Jura, Marne, Haute-Marne, Meurthe et Moselle, Meuse, Haute-Saône, Vosges, Territory from Belfort, Moselle, Nièvre and Saône-et-Loire. Two other departments have also chosen to apply this reinforced curfew since Tuesday, January 12: Var and Drôme. It should also be noted that Guyana indicated on Friday the advance of the curfew at 7 p.m. from Saturday for five municipalities. Are concerned: Cayenne, Rémire-Montjoly, Matoury, Macouria and Kourou.
Why were these departments affected by this reinforced curfew? The Ministry of Health has factually set two criteria for drawing up the list of departments concerned by the measure: an incidence rate greater than 200 and / or an incidence rate of the elderly greater than 200. Jérôme Salomon gave other explanations in the Journal du dimanche, January 3. “These are areas where it is colder and where the virus therefore circulates more,” said the Director General of Health. These are also border areas, more rural, with more vulnerable populations.
The rules of the curfew
As a reminder, if free movement has become the rule again since December 15 in France, with the end of confinement stricto-sensu, this is only valid during the day. For the second time, the country is in fact subject to the curfew rule in order to best control the epidemic of coronavirus while allowing the French to travel for the end of year celebrations. In effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. until then, the curfew now begins at 6 p.m. since Saturday, January 16, for a minimum of two weeks. What are the rules and exceptions for this new curfew? Our responses.
Until January 16, the curfew is in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. But since January 16, these hours have changed. The curfew begins at 6 p.m. while the end time does not move and remains at 6 a.m. In this time slot, travel is prohibited, with some exceptions. The rest of the time, outings and trips are authorized. In 25 territories, the curfew had been tightened at the end of 2020. The measure is therefore now generalized throughout the territory.
Here are the exits authorized during curfew hours (and which must be justified by the certificate):
- Return to and from his place of work if it is night work or requiring a return home after 8 p.m. (or a business trip that cannot be postponed)
- Compelling family reasons, for assistance to vulnerable and precarious people, in particular to people with disabilities or for childcare
- Medical reasons: going to the hospital, appointments for examinations and care that cannot be provided remotely and purchase of medication
- Participation in missions of general interest at the request of the administrative authority (marauding associations for the fight against poverty or distribution of food aid at home, for example)
- Help for people with disabilities and their companions
- Walk a pet around its home
Despite the end of confinement, a travel certificate is still in effect during the curfew. This document is necessary for any exit provided for in the derogatory grounds.
The rules are the same as for confinement: a fine of 135 euros can be imposed in the event of non-compliance with the measures introduced. “And if there was ever to be reiteration, that is to say if, after three times, […] a sentence of 6 months of imprisonment is possible as well as a 3750 euros fine “, specified the Minister of the Interior during the first curfew.
The curfew was initially set to last until January 20, when the restrictions were to end. But this deadline was revised on January 14 by the government which announced a new curfew in effect from 6 p.m. for “15 days”. Or until the end of January at least.
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