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France adopts bill to help fight COVID-19

Tourists stand outside the Louvre museum, in Paris, France, Sunday, March 1, 2020. The spreading coronavirus epidemic shut down France's Louvre Museum on Sunday, with workers who guard its trove of artworks fearful of being contaminated by the museum's flow of visitors from around the world. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)
Tourists stand outside the Louvre museum, in Paris, France, Sunday, March 1, 2020. The spreading coronavirus epidemic shut down France's Louvre Museum on Sunday, with workers who guard its trove of artworks fearful of being contaminated by the museum's flow of visitors from around the world. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh) Tourists stand outside the Louvre museum, in Paris, France, Sunday, March 1, 2020. The spreading coronavirus epidemic shut down France's Louvre Museum on Sunday, with workers who guard its trove of artworks fearful of being contaminated by the museum's flow of visitors from around the world. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)

By Associated Press 1 min read

PARIS – France’s Parliament has adopted a bill allowing the government to declare a “state of health emergency” meant to better fight the coronavirus epidemic in the country.

The measure voted Sunday allows the government to issue decrees that curtail temporarily freedoms, including restrictions on movements, trade, entrepreneurship and gatherings. It also enables the government to requisition necessary goods and services to fight against a health disaster.

The state of heath emergency is yet to be formally declared by President Emmanuel Macron’s government during a Cabinet meeting.

The measure was needed to provide legal basis to ensure the continuity of current emergency measures in the country and the democratic functioning of the state.

The bill also includes the postponing of nationwide municipal elections initially due to take place on Sunday and a package of economic measures to support workers and businesses hardly hit by the crisis.