France announces bonuses for frontline healthcare workers amid battle against coronavirus

France’s Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said on Wednesday the country will pay healthcare workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic €1,500 bonuses (around $1,633).

Other healthcare workers will get smaller bonuses of €500 (around $544). Yet, they will also have higher pay for their overtime work.

The move came after French ministers approved a €110 billion plan (around $120 billion) to help the country’s economy as businesses suffer the effects of a prolonged shutdown, according to Reuters.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire expected that the French economy may shrink by up to 8 percent.

Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the country’s lockdown would be extended until May 11, and