Paris could enter another lockdown soon, as new coronavirus variants are causing intensive care units in the city to fill up.
The Associated Press reports that French officials are considering another lockdown as special medical planes have relocated patients from Paris to less saturated regions.
“If we have to lock in, we’ll do it,” said Jérôme Salomon, director of the French public health agency on Sunday. “The situation is complex, tense and worsening in the Paris region.”
The AP notes that in recent months the French government has relied on curfews to stop the spread of the coronavirus, but Salomon said a nationwide 6:00 pm curfew was “not enough.”
According to Salomon, there are currently more ICU patients in France – about 6,300 – than the number of IC beds the country had before the pandemic.
The European Union, including France, has approved four vaccines for use in its member states, including those from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, Frances has confirmed nearly 4 million coronavirus cases and nearly 90,000 deaths, one of the highest in the world.
In February, the French government announced stricter controls for the coronavirus at the border with Germany as part of further efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.