The Paris police have enacted a temporary prohibition on the sale and consumption of alcohol in the city as a response to a severe heatwave straining the healthcare system, according to reports from DPA.
From Friday through Sunday morning, the sale of alcohol will be prohibited, and drinking in public spaces will also be banned, as announced by the police on Thursday.
However, restaurants and bars are exempt from this restriction.
Hospitals in the Grand Paris area are already operating at full capacity due to the heatwave, with new patients being admitted continuously, stated Police Chief Patrice Faure.
Paris Faces Near 41-Degree Celsius Temperatures
The main purpose of the ban is to ease the burden on hospitals and emergency services by preventing additional incidents related to alcohol consumption, he explained.
French hospitals are currently at the highest alert level.
As temperatures approach 41 degrees Celsius in the capital, doctors are advising against alcohol consumption due to the increased risk of heat stroke, according to the police chief.
A similar alcohol ban during last Sunday’s Fête de la Musique significantly reduced the number of incidents and emergencies, he noted.
After several days of high temperatures, the streets of Paris are overwhelmed by the heat, and residents struggle to cool their homes at night.
