Macron defends decision not to order third lockdown

President Emmanuel Macron has  defended his decision to hold off on a third lockdown, telling the public he had faith in their ability to rein in COVID-19 with less severe curbs even as a third wave spreads and the vaccine rollout falters.

France will close it borders to all but essential travel to and from countries outside the European Union, while people arriving from within the bloc will have to show a negative test. Large shopping malls will be shut and police patrols increased to enforce a 6 p.m. curfew.

However, Macron has stopped short of ordering a new daytime lockdown, saying he wants to see first if other measures will be enough to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

With 10% of cases now attributable to the more contagious variant first found in Britain, senior medics have recommended a new lockdown, and one opinion poll showed more than three-quarters of French people think one is now inevitable. The poll also showed falling public confidence in the government’s handling of the crisis.

“I have trust in us. These hours that we are living through are crucial. Let’s do all we can to slow the epidemic together,” Macron tweeted.

Government advisers judged that the slower-than-expected spread of a contagious variant first detected in Britain meant there was no risk in delaying the decision on a lockdown by a week, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the Journal du Dimanche.

He added action would be swift if the virus started spreading faster: “We never said we would not impose a lockdown in the next two weeks if necessary.”