The prime minister has ordered Paris to be placed on high alert for Covid-19, which means bars will be forced to close for two weeks from Tuesday, and restaurants will have to put in place new health protocols to stay open.

Jean Castex’s office said there had been no improvement in the Paris region since the French capital passed all three of the government’s criteria for placing it on its highest alert level in the middle of last week.

The move comes as the second wave accelerates in Europe, as Ireland’s health officials are reported to be on the verge of recommending a return to full lockdown and leaked documents showing plans. A more stringent traffic light system in England.

A statement from the Castex office said working from home should be prioritized “now more than ever” in the Paris region and university lecture halls should be no more than half of them.

The strengthened restrictions will take effect from Tuesday.

“These measures, which are indispensable in the struggle to limit the spread of the virus, will be applied to Paris and the three surrounding departments immediately, for a period of two weeks,” the statement said.

For a city to be placed on high alert, the infection rate must exceed 100 infections per 100,000 among the elderly and 250 per 100,000 among the general population, while at least 30% of intensive care beds are allocated to coronavirus patients.

A week ago, it was restaurants and bars Closed for two weeks in Marseille, The southern city at the center of the second wave, which led to protests and failed legal challenges.

Restaurants in Marseille will be allowed to reopen early under the same new protocols.

On Sunday, France reported 12,565 new cases of coronavirus, while 893 patients with COVID-19 were admitted into intensive care over the past week.

Meanwhile, Irish health chiefs reportedly recommended the government on Sunday enter the country into a second nationwide lockdown for four weeks in a surprise move that will be discussed by Cabinet on Monday, two government sources said.

Ireland’s National Public Health Emergency Team has recommended a jump to the highest level of Covid-19 restrictions, Level 5, from the current Level 2 in 24 of Ireland’s 26 counties and more stringent Level 3 measures in Dublin and Donegal.

The government has almost completely adopted advice from health officials throughout the pandemic, but one source said that a return to lockdown would have a serious economic and societal impact.

Taoysch Michel Martin The leaders of his coalition partners will meet with the country’s chief medical officer on Monday before a cabinet meeting to discuss the recommendations.

Under Level 5, people are required to stay home, except for exercising within a 5-kilometer range, with only primary retailers allowed to remain open. Unlike the first shutdown, schools and nurseries will not have to close.

A health ministry spokesman was not immediately available to comment on the advice.

In England, leaked documents reviewed by The Guardian show plans for a new three-tiered lockdown system, paving the way for tougher restrictions including bar closures and a ban on all social contacts outside of home groups.