PARIS (REUTERS) – France will not end its nationwide lockdown unless the number of new cases of coronavirus infection drops below 3,000 per day, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told Parliament on Tuesday (April 28).

“The lockdown being lifted on May 11 depends on new cases dropping below 3,000 a day… If the indicators are bad, the lockdown will not be lifted on May 11,” Mr Philippe said.

The number of confirmed new cases dropped below 3,000 on April 15.

In the past two weeks, the number of new cases per day was on average about 2,162 per day.

Non-essential French retailers can reopen their doors from May 11, but they will have the right to insist that shoppers wear masks on the premises, Mr Philippe said. 

Speaking during a parliamentary debate, he said where possible people, should continue working from home beyond May 11, the date set for a progressive easing of lockdown measures. 

He said that services on the Paris metro would be increased to allow people to commute to work while observing social distancing, and that restrictions would stay in place for long-distance train travel.

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