France closing schools to curb coronavirus spread: Macron

France will from next week close all nurseries, schools and universities to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus, President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address.

France will from next week close all nurseries, schools and universities to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus, President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address.

Describing the outbreak as France's biggest public health crisis in a century, Macron also urged employers to let staff work from home, and said that the elderly and people with health conditions should stay indoors.

He said, however, that municipal elections scheduled for this weekend should go ahead.

He said that to ease the economic impact, the state would take over paying salaries of people forced to stop work, and that businesses would not have to pay taxes that fall due in March.