Since Monday evening and the announcement made by its Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the United Kingdom is officially in containment for three weeks. This decision marks a complete reversal from the first strategy envisaged, that of collective immunity. In London, where many French people live, it is not without consequences as confirmed by those whom Le Parisien contacted by telephone.
"They should have taken much more drastic measures"
Valeryane, 45, a 10-year-old son, lives in the Kentish Town district
Tuesday morning, Valeryane, a French woman living in London for 8 years with her Australian husband, tried to shop online. Connected at 7 a.m., she still hadn't reached it four hours later. Unlike many Britons, and faced with what is happening in France, she has been anticipating confinement for ten days. Her 10-year-old son stopped going to bilingual French school. This Tuesday noon, however, she found that there were still "a lot of people in the streets". "The French government quickly implemented very restrictive measures," she said. This was not the case with Boris Johnson. The parks are open. However, in London, there are parks everywhere. They should have taken action earlier and much more drastic. "
If this headhunter for the Partner firm expects to have an impact on its activity, she is especially worried about the many young people in precarious situations. "A surge of solidarity is taking place for them," she says. She herself plans to continue to pay her nanny, who was dismissed last Friday by the clothing chain where she also worked. "Many people are dismissed manu militari," she says. It has also been echoed by employers who force their employees to take the metro and come to work. "Between that and Brexit, we have been well served for some time ...", she breathes.
When concluding the discussion, Valeryane broadens her thinking. "The look of many French people on Boris Johnson is quite hard," she says. When you see that he first wanted the virus to be transmitted as quickly as possible ... And then when you know the NHS, the health system, which he described as the best in the world, it makes you laugh. Many French people have said to themselves: how will it be if I get sick? It is because of this that many are going or have already returned. "
1. - London Underground this morning (via @ nsmith694)
2. - New York Subway
3. - Paris Metro
3. - Toronto Subway # coronavirus # COVID19 #COVID ー 19 # Coronavid19 #Corona # coviduk19 pic.twitter.com/lsIdbQ7pc2
"They think the English will behave reasonably"
Claire, 44, a 4-year-old girl, lives near Wimbledon Village.
Accustomed to working from home, Claire first told herself that confinement was not going to “change anything” in her life. However, she has already had to give up the alternate custody that she had planned for Skye, her 4-year-old daughter, with a friend who lives just a few houses away from hers. "We are afraid, we are not going to do it," she breathes.
When the first measures were taken in France, the first reaction of his companion, Brett, was to say that this would not happen in England where the police do not have the same role and do not intervene in the same way in people's lives. "Something very English," says Claire. "Basically, it was not possible," added the young woman. This is why, according to her, the establishment of containment in British sauce will be done “step by step (step by step Editor's note ) so that people get used to the idea”. "They give people a chance," she explains. They think the English will behave reasonably. "
What concerns Claire above all is the uncertainty surrounding the duration of the confinement measure. "We hear everything," she said. We left for three weeks but others talk about it until the start of the school year, or even until 2021! "
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More broadly, she deplores the spirit of this general confinement: "They should have reserved it for the weakest and the elderly," she says. There, they will lose their job to half the population! "
Personally, she finds herself "suddenly" school teacher. "And I'm going to lose all my clients ...", she laments.
"I'm really desperate"
Sophie, 34, lives in Hackney
She takes a deep breath before answering the question of how she is coping. "With a lot of annoyance, ends up letting go of Sophie. I don't have the words… ”She still tries to explain herself. "My business is events," she says. My job is to get people to meet. I had a big party planned for Friday the 13th, with a hundred people whom I had to take to party in Paris. But I canceled everything. You have to be responsible. "
With her husband, she therefore self-confined and advised all of her relationships to do the same. Only, at the same time, she witnessed the hesitations of Boris Johnson who for example advised not to go to pubs or theaters without banning him. "I don't understand, I'm really desperate," says Sophie. There was no hesitation, it was necessary to align with the strict measures taken elsewhere. "
The young woman is worried about the British healthcare system. "The government ran the entire Brexit campaign on the NHS ( the public health care system )," she said. But there, who takes care of it? He will find himself engorged ”.
Another point angered her: "The more than scandalous behavior of Eurostar". Booking a wagon for his Parisian evening cost him 3,200 pounds (3,482 euros). Unlike the SNCF, Eurostar does not provide for reimbursement but a voucher system with the obligation to travel before the end of December. "They play with the cash of families or businesses like mine," says Sophie. However, they have a monopoly. People would have been happy to be reimbursed and they would have picked up their tickets in due time. "
Despite everything, the adopted Londoner does not complain. "We are lucky to have a balcony," she said. And then we have something to eat, we are connected with our family and friends. There are more serious situations. "