MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

France to impose € 1,500 fine to South American travelers who skip quarantine

“No economic or diplomatic consideration will prevail over health,” said Beaune.

A ten-day mandatory quarantine for travellers arriving into France from South America, namely from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and French Guiana as well as from South Africa, shall be effective as of this coming Saturday, said French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune.

Travelers shall have to remain for ten days at the address of their choice, guarded by a police squad. In case of a breach, first offenders shall be fined 1,500 euros and 3,000 euros in case of a repeat unobservance.

Flights from Brazil to France have been suspended until further notice since last week in another measure on the part of French authorities to stop the arrival from foreign strains of coronavirus.

French President Emmanuel Macron wants the entire EU to adopt common measures with countries at risk due to the advance of the pandemic. and has instructed his aides to promote the issue Tuesday during a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

“This criterion must be Europeanized as quickly as possible,” said Beaune in a radio interview.

Asked why the same quarantine has not been planned for India, which is experiencing an explosion of new infections with variants that some scientists consider disturbing, the Secretary of State said that precisely because they want to objectify the criteria of risk countries. But he warned “no economic or diplomatic consideration will prevail over health.”