The French prime minister's weekly news conference has been pushed back one hour to allow scientific advisors time to consider the decision by the European Medicines Agency on the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine. That decision is due to be announced on Thursday afternoon.
Everyone is expecting the worst. President Emmanuel Macron has warned that France is in the grip of a third wave of coronavirus infections, which is likely to "strike hard" between now and mid-April. The French leader says the situation is "critical".
Against that background, and while awaiting the decision by the European Medicines Agency on the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Prime Minister Jean Castex is due to announce new restrictions at a press conference now scheduled for 19H00 on Thursday.
Ireland, Netherlands latest countries to suspend AstraZeneca vaccine
A total population of 18 million people is potentially concerned: 12 million in Paris and the area surrounding the capital; six million in the departments in northern France. Between them, these two zones have recorded more than 38,000 new inferctiuons in the past 24 hours.
The French president and prime minister have been coordinating their efforts with local elected officials and health authorities.
Pressure for third lockdown
President Emmanuel Macron has argued against a third national shutdown, preferring instead to enforce local restrictions to try to slow the spread of the more contagious British variant.
"Let's be clear, we're in a third wave, mostly down to the rise of this famous British variant," Macron said late Wednesday after a day of talks with medical staff and local mayors in the Paris region. "The situation is critical. It's going to be very hard until mid-April."
The other two Covid-19 hotspots in France -- around the southern Mediterranean town of Nice, and the northern region surrounding Calais -- have been under weekend lockdowns since late February and early March respectively.
Confining people to their homes in Paris, the economic and political heartland of the country which is renowned for its dense housing, has sparked worries of more psychological problems and even violence.
Political division and criticism
"Confining the region is not an easy decision. It has major consequences for residents," an unnamed minister told the Parisien newspaper.
"When you hit the emergency brake, with a weekend lockdown for example, it's because you've failed with all the rest," Bruno Retailleau, a senior figure in the right-wing opposition Republicans party, told France Inter radio, referring to Macron's strategy.
As well as registering soaring cases, France has made a sluggish start to its vaccination campaign and suspended use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford jab this week in line with many European partners.
