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Original poster

In France under lockdown - AMA

332 replies

MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:06

I'm currently under lockdown in France in a relatively big city. The measures came into effect at 12pm today and will last for at least two weeks... Feel free to ask any questions !

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6
puds11 · 17/03/2020 13:09

Are you allowed to leave the house and if so what for?

Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:12

I am able to leave the house for certain reasons :

  • to go to work ( does not apply to me as I can WFH - most people are either working from home or not working as lots of companies have had to temporarily shut down )
  • to go grocery shopping
  • for medical purposes
  • for very brief time periods to walk a dog or exercise near my house.

Every time I do so I must fill in a form, specifying the date, time, and reason why I am out. Police can stop people in the streets to check that they have forms and valid reasons to be out. If necessary fines can be issued !

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new0rules · 17/03/2020 13:13

Are your local shops well supplied with things like:
Toilet roll
Disinfectant
Kids/adults fever/pain medicines
Foods of different kinds?

Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:17

@new0rules

Grocery stores are well supplied. People panic bought this week-end a little : the first things to disappear from shelves were pasta and flour.

But stores have been restocked and we have no risk of food shortages (everything is being done in order to make sure stores have plenty of food and things such as toilet roll, disinfectant etc).

Pharmacies are open and are very well stocked with medicines. We cannot buy hand sanitizer or masks though.

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MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 17/03/2020 13:18

What's the mood there? How have people taken the lockdown news?

blondemerida · 17/03/2020 13:19

Do you have children ? How are you/ they coping ?

Seventyone72seventy3 · 17/03/2020 13:20

You're allowed to exercise? I'm in lock down in Italy and it's not allowed. I am getting podgier by the day!

HelloViroids · 17/03/2020 13:21

Do you need a printer to get the form? What happens if you don’t have one at home?

serene12 · 17/03/2020 13:22

My brother, who is a British citizen & lives in Southern France wants to travel to the UK to visit & care for our seriously ill 94 year old dad.
Do you know if this is possible? My brother spoke about getting special permission from the Mayor, if allowed to come to the UK he would travel by ferry.

Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:23

@MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet

The mood is actually okay. News came quite suddenly : this time last week everyone's lives were normal. Lockdown rumors were starting to circulate but seemed to be a few weeks off.

On Thursday the President announced that all schools and unis were too shut. On Saturday he announced that any "non essential" stores were to shut. And last he finally announced lockdown measures...

It is definitely surreal. But most people seem to have accepted that it is for the best, in order to enable the hospitals to cope with the flow of patients.

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Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:24

@blondemerida

No I don't have any. Colleagues with children have taken them to the countryside if possible. Or keeping them busy inside with homeschooling and games.

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Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:25

@Seventyone72seventy3 Yes we are thank goodness but we are asked to keep any such outings to a minimum... And of course to do so alone.

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TheCanterburyWhales · 17/03/2020 13:26

Do you think the people will behave? Because here in Italy our first stage lockdown was like yours, but has now been made more restrictive still because of Muppets thinking they could meet their mates "for a bit of fresh air" and take their kids to the park "to let off Steam"

Rosehip10 · 17/03/2020 13:27

@MickeyMouae199 I thought people taking children "to the countryside" was exactly what the french government didn't want and a driver for the stricter lockdown?

middleager · 17/03/2020 13:27

Has the Wifi gone like dial up yet?

How are your mental and physical health right now?

Thank you for this thread and take care.

Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:27

@HelloViroids I don't have a printer so I can't print it off. I can copy the form out onto a sheet of paper.
It may also be possible to have an electronic copy on our mobiles but I haven't looked into this yet...

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Froq · 17/03/2020 13:28

I’m another who’d like to know how the form thing works.

HopeYouStepOnALego · 17/03/2020 13:28

Is there still transportation working - the Metro, buses, taxis etc? I've got to arrange to get three Japanese nationals from the centre of Paris to CDG airport in a couple of days times and considering the options. Thanks!

Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:28

@serene12 I'm not sure... Travel is still possible for "absolutely necessary" reasons, and caring for the old/vulnerable is one so it may be possible ?

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Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:30

@TheCanterburyWhales From what I can see out of my windows / what's being shown on TV / what I've heard from friends etc., people are taking the measures seriously.
We've seen what's going on in Italy, and we were dreading much worse measures so maybe people are going to abide so as to get through it as quickly as possible ? Early days though. Fingers crossed !

And take care in Italy :-)

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Pineapple75 · 17/03/2020 13:31

Are you allowed to travel by car? So for example, could you leave your house and drive straight to your parents' an hour away see out lockdown there? I'm in the UK and don't want do end up isolating in my tiny flat if I could avoid it!

Confusedasusual78 · 17/03/2020 13:32

Looking likely we’re heading the same way here in Portugal.

So, are you allowed to just go to your place of work and come home?-very concerned as Dp is self-employed, so no working, no money-no food.

Can you go for example as a family for a walk in a wide open space? We’re currentjy taking our dog and baby to the woods two doors down from our house, where we rarely see other people.

Are you allowed to go for just a simple drive around? To look at the beach etc?

Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:32

@Rosehip10 Moving out of cities to second homes in the country was on the list of "allowed movement" up until midday today... I guess people were going to do it anyway, were given time to make a decision and should stick to it now.

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Original poster
MickeyMouae199 · 17/03/2020 13:35

@middleager

My Wifi is holding up so far. But I have a good connection anyway and I am in a relatively big city. Fingers crossed !

Mentally I am okay and most people seem to be. It must be hard with kids though... Physically I have been keeping fit and plan to continue to do so with a handful of runs and so indoor exercise. It's not ideal but it will be okay :-)

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Seventyone72seventy3 · 17/03/2020 13:35

@TheCanterburyWhales Tbf (and as one of the muppets who went to the park the week after schools closed Wink ) we were only following instructions. It seems a long time ago now but we were told you could go out but keep your distance, bars and cafés got rid of tables so they could put the other ones further apart.....sigh....altri tempi!

Sorry OP, derailing! Do most people in France agree with what the government is doing?