French bars and restaurants may remain closed until mid-January as the government tries to stop the resurgent coronavirus outbreak, radio station France Info reported Tuesday.
The French government closed all non-essential businesses at the end of October as the number of virus cases increased rapidly again.
The national restrictions were initially imposed for a period of one month. Stores could reopen on December 1 if health conditions permit.
Prime Minister Jean Castex, however, made it clear that this did not apply to bars and restaurants, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said in an interview on France 2 on Tuesday.
Government officials will review the situation for bars and restaurants next month, he said, when asked about the France Info notice of a January 15 reopening.
French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Tuesday that he could not give a date for the end of the national lockdown. According to Veran, bars and restaurants won’t reopen in December.
