President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced the closure of all schools, colleges and universities in France in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
He also called on businesses to allow staff to work remotely where possible.
However, the president said local elections would not be postponed. The first round will take place on Sunday. Voters will have to stand more than a metre apart at polling stations.
The health minister has assured the process will be "no more dangerous than a trip to the supermarket".
As Al Jazeera's Natacha Butler reports, candidates vying to be mayor of Paris are adjusting the way they campaign.
