A new set of Covid restrictions entered effect for about a third of the population of mainland France (16 departments) on Saturday, two days after the government said it would impose stricter measures that nonetheless would be lighter than those of previous national lockdowns.
The two previous national lockdowns required people to carry around a "permission" slip justifying their outing, with exceptions for tasks including the purchase of essential items or services, helping someone in need or getting personal exercise for no more than an hour and within a kilometre of home.
But confusion immediately met the new form unveiled on Saturday for the 16 administrative departments concerned, which include those in the Paris region, the north and the southeast, for the duration of at least one month.
The form was two pages long, unlike the former one-page forms, and included 15 exceptions. Some were allowed within 10 kilometres of home, others within 30 kilometres, but not over departmental lines.
There were no time limits, and with hours of a national curfew pushed back from 6pm to 7pm, the new measures effectively allowed an extra hour out of home.
New French containment, New concept, lockdown outdoor #lockedout #confinement #spring ☘️ pic.twitter.com/TUQQM468Ob
— catherine Briat (@cbriat1) March 21, 2021
The form made for much mockery on social media, including one image of a bright yellow gate blocking the path of an otherwise wide-open lawn superimposed with the words “The French Lockdown”.
Government changes rules
Within hours, the government decided to scrap the form – which Interior Ministry spokesperson Camille Chaize observed “might be too complicated” instead deciding that anyone out of their home simply had to present proof of residence in the event of a police check.
New forms were available for sorties beyond 10 kilometres on Sunday, though since-resolved technical glitches kept users from accessing the online versions of the form.
There was also confusion over essential services and which shops may remain open. Chocolatiers and florists both found they were able to remain open, as were bookshops, a symbol of cultural resistance during the second lockdown.
The list of exceptions also included tanners, hairdressers, shoemakers. Only specialty shops and clothing stores seemed to be affected. Clothing sections of department stores were tapered off.
Government refuses to say ‘lockdown’
The government sought to clarify the rules and goals of the measures, which it refused to call a new lockdown (or “confinement” in French).
“I refuse to call it a lockdown, simply because that is not what it is,” Health Minister Olivier Véran told newspaper Le Parisien.
S'aérer pour souffler, se distancier pour se protéger. Les mesures pour freiner le virus recherchent l’équilibre entre santé physique et santé mentale, face à une epidemie qui dure.
— Olivier Véran (@olivierveran) March 21, 2021
Retrouvez mon interview dans @LeParisien ⬇️https://t.co/bk4LKM1FSA
“One year ago… the rule was ‘stay at home,’” he said. “The situation is different. If I were to improvise a slogan, it would be ‘go out to breathe, keep a distance to protect.’
“We’re not stopping the population from going outside, we are limiting gatherings indoors. Walking in a park, going for a bikeride, we need these to keep sane.”
The new measures applied to about 21 million people in regions where incidence rates and strain on health care infrastructure was highest.
Some health officials said the new measures failed to address adequately the situation.
“There’s a gap between the seriousness of the situation and the reality of the measures taken,” William Dab, former director general of health, told media on Saturday.
