The mayor of Nice in southern France asked tourists to stay away on Sunday as the holiday destination grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases.
“We will be happy to have a lot of tourists this summer, once we win this battle, but it is better to have a period where we say ‘don’t come here, this is not the time’, ” said Mayor Christian Estrosi on France Info radio.
He called on the government to impose stricter restrictions in the Mediterranean city, such as a weekend lockout, to deter tourists.
“We need strong measures that go beyond the nationwide 6:00 pm curfew, either a tighter curfew or a partial and time-specific lockdown. A weekend lockout would make sense, ”said Estrosi.
Nice has fought the highest infection rate in the country, with 740 new cases per week per 100,000 inhabitants, according to local figures.
Estrosi said the influx of visitors who came during the holiday season has contributed to the rising cases.
“The weather is nice, everyone is hurrying to get here. A weekend lockout would put an end to that without stopping economic activity in the city, ”said Estrosi.
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