Lockdown in France should be extended for weeks, chief medical adviser says

France should extend its lockdown period for several weeks in order to contain the coronavirus epidemic, the chief of the medical council advising the government said on Wednesday.

Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, who heads the scientific council that advises the government about how to handle the epidemic, also said on France Info radio that as many as 17 million French people are seriously at risk from coronavirus.

The country went into lockdown on March 17, and the measure has already been extended once to April 15. On April 2, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the lockdown would probably have to be extended beyond that date.