Coronavirus: France and Germany have announced second national lockdowns

France and Germany have announced second national lockdowns to try to curb a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths.

President Emmanuel Macron confirmed his country's widely-expected measures, which will start this Friday and last until 1 December.

The month-long measures will include:

• A 'stay at home' order except to exercise for one hour a day, seek medical care or buy essential goods

• Shutting restaurants and bars

• Non-essential shops to close

• A travel ban between regions

• Closing some external borders

• Universities moving to online teaching

Anyone outside their homes will have to carry a document justifying their excursion, which can be checked by police.

The newspaper Le Parisien said the office of the French Prime Minister has confirmed that people will be allowed only up to 1km from their home.

Schools will remain open.

The French president said COVID-19 was circulating more quickly than had been forecast, and that all regions were on high alert.

He added the country, along with its European neighbours, had been "submerged by the rapid acceleration of COVID-19", and that the second wave was likely to be "harder, more deadly" than the first.

France has recently recorded tens of thousands of coronavirus cases a day. On Wednesday evening, it reported 36,437 new cases, up from 33,417 yesterday.

On Tuesday it confirmed its highest daily fatality figure since April, at 523.

And more than half of the country's intensive care units are filled with COVID-19 patients.

The alternative approach of seeking herd immunity would mean 400,000 excess deaths, Mr Macron predicted.

The new restrictions follow similar plans laid out hours earlier by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said her nation will enter a four-week lockdown from 2 November.

Germany's restrictions, which will be reviewed after two weeks, will mean:

• Bars and pubs will shut

• Restaurants to close except for takeaways

• Gyms, cinemas and theatres to shut

• Indoor gatherings banned for more than 10 people and between more than two households

• Hotels to close to tourists - staying open only for "essential reasons"

• Shops to stay open but with a maximum of one person per 10 square metres

Mrs Merkel said schools, nurseries, and day care centres will stay open. She also "wants to make sure" nursing homes can still have visitors during the lockdown.

She said the "tough measures" were necessary to prevent hospitals being overwhelmed as Germany faces soaring coronavirus deaths and cases.

"We need to take action now," she said, adding the key to defusing the "very serious" situation was to reduce contacts while limiting damage to the economy.

The chancellor said the number of filled intensive care beds had doubled in 10 days.

Analysis: Western Europe takes step back towards national lockdowns

By Adam Parsons, Europe correspondent

These lockdown measures are serious.

President Macron said he has to protect the economy, but he also said he would make a point of protecting older people, younger people, the vulnerable, the poorest members of society and carers.

So this is a strong step up for the French people and those we have spoken to have greeted it with a sense of sadness.

But they also recognise the speed at which this second wave is - to use Mr Macron's words - engulfing the country. That means there has to be a response.

It's not just happening here.

Germany has also stepped up its measures - but more of a shutdown, rather than a lockdown.

And in Belgium where cases are higher per capita than anywhere in Europe now, there is a suggestion that this weekend they will move towards a national lockdown.

I think Europe, certainly western Europe, feels as if it has taken a step back towards that concept of full national lockdown.

In Germany, track and trace efforts had become inundated with new cases, leaving the origin of three quarters of infections a mystery.

While the virus is growing exponentially and the "doubling of cases has become faster," Mrs Merkel said she believed this short lockdown could slow it down and ensure hospitals can continue to cope.

"If the pace of infections continues like this, then we'll reach the limits of what the health system can manage within weeks," she said.

The country's 16 state governors agreed on the lockdown via a video call.

Earlier on Wednesday, Germany's disease control agency confirmed a record 14,964 new confirmed coronavirus cases in one day, taking the national total to 449,275.

It also reported 27 more virus-related deaths, raising its total to 10,098, the Robert Koch Institute said.

France and Germany are far from alone in their mounting worry over the rapidly spreading pandemic.

The World Health Organisation warned Europe has faced a 35% spike in deaths in seven days compared to the previous week.

Belgium, the Netherlands, most of Spain and the Czech Republic are seeing similarly high infection rates.

European governments have been desperate to avoid national lockdowns for fear of more economic pain - and protests have broken out in several countries which have toughened measures.

Some anti-lockdown demonstrations have turned violent, including in Italy where far-right demonstrators clashed with police in Rome, Turin and Naples.