Ha, Paris, the City of Lights dear to many of you, Europe touristic capital and more… Every year, some 32,200,000 tourists meet in Paris to discover its iconic charm, its world-famous gastronomy, its magnificent monuments and its oh-so rich culture. Yes, but since January, France is infected by the epidemic everyone talks about: coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
Events are cancelled and delayed in Paris
And there are many consequences. On Sunday March 8, the government has decided to forbid any gathering over 100 people in a closed space, after a decree forbidding only those over 5000 people. If this decree was first said to be up to May, it will finally be up to mid-April, according to Journal Officiel. Today, there are many events that are cancelled or postponed in Paris.
We can obviously think about Paris half-marathon and marathon, the Harlem Globetrotters, and more fairs (salon du livre, Le Mondial du Tatouage, the International Tourism Trade Show….) and concerts and show (Chorus Festival, Andrea Bocelli…) and some movies will be played later this year (the latest James Bond for instance…). By the way, the National musical and variety show union trade Prodiss let us know that 50% less tickets have been sold in comparison with the same period last year, which is a loss “superior to those after the terror attacks in 2015”.
Another striking event, the Louvre closed for three days. Yet, the Eiffel Tower – that welcomes 6 million visitors every year – is not said to close “yet” as Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on LCI. Last but not least, health measures have been set up to visit the famous Eiffel Tower as in other museums in Paris to discover here.
The situation in France and in Paris
So far, 61 dead and 2876 cases linked to coronavirus have been reported in France. This Thursday March 12, President Emmanuel Macron has announced to close daycares, preschools, elementary schools, junior highs, high schools and universities until further order. Disneyland Paris is also closing.
In Paris and Île-de-France, the number of people infected starts to grow with a new center of the epidemic in Val d’Oise and several RATP employees infected. Sunday March 8, the Agence Régionale de Santé [Health Regional Agency] counts 178 cases in Île de France (21 in Paris, 8 in Seine-et-Marne, 7 in Yvelines, 5 in Essonne, 11 in Hauts-de-Seine, 13 in Seine-Saint-Denis, 10 in Val-de-Marne, 31 in Val d’Oise. As for the rest, information as for identifications are currently running).
While the City of Lights is the most visited city in Europe, some tourists may rightly wonder if they should come or delay their trips to Paris.
Health recommendations from the City of Paris
The city of Paris reminds you health recommendations and instructions to follow: wash your hands, avoid handshakes and hugging, cough or sneeze in your elbow.
Unlike Japan where wearing a facemask is required, wearing a facemask is not recommended in Paris, unless if you are sick or infected by the virus. By the way, the government has ordained the requisition of facemask stocks.
For a few days, there are more and more countries not welcoming French... Donald Trump has also suspended all flights from Europe to the United States for 30 days.
As for public transportation, metros, RERs, buses, tramways and Tranisilien train work as usual and no decrease of the traffic has been yet set up.
Despite events being cancelled, Parisians keep going out in Paris and try to live normally. But in his televised address on March 12th, head of state Emmanuel Macron has aksed people to limit their trips. Directly impacted by the virus spread, the hotel trade and gastronomy field feels the effects, after the Yellow Vest movements and the strikes.
We remind you that over 100,000 people has been contaminated worldwide and no treatment nor vaccine exists so far.
The World Health Organization, WHO, yet wants you to remember the disease remains mild in 80% cases. The global death rate linked to the virus is estimated to about 3.2%.
Toward a stage 3 of the epidemic?
So far, the action plan remains at stage 2. But according to several specialists, moving to stage 3, synonym for “active circulation of the virus throughout the country” is a matter of days…
We only have to know what measures will be set up by the government to slow the coronavirus spread down in case of stage 3 and what would the effects on the Parisians’, Île-de-France inhabitants and tourists’ lives would be.
According to a preventive and fight planned drafted in 2011 in case of a flue epidemic, that could be use as a “reflection base”, stage 3 could lead to an “eventual suspension of some public transportation”, the “closing of daycares and teaching establishments” and the “restriction of main gatherings and collective activities”. But Heath Minister Olivier Véran adds that moving to “stage 3” does not mean such measures will be set up in one go and in the same fashion throughout the country. These measures would be set up gradually and decided based on a case-by-case basis, depending on the areas and the evolution of the epidemic.
