PARIS (Reuters) - French carmaker and Peugeot owner PSA announced on Wednesday the creation of a solidarity fund to help staff affected by the closures of plants due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and new steps to protect the health of its workers.

PSA said it was creating the fund, ensuring the full compensation to all employees working in France during this period of partial activity due to the coronavirus.

It will be funded through the deduction of two days of holidays from managers, one day from workers and by a contribution from the company, added PSA.

This week, PSA secured a further 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in loans.

($1 = 0.9214 euros)

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; editing by Jason Neely)