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Deconfinement: the American scenario that interests the government

2020-04-02T19:04:25.548Z


An American study envisages a gradual resumption of activity, region by region, by age classes and categories of population, in fo


It is a document of fifteen pages, whose name smells of freedom (a little) found: "A road map to reopening" ("A roadmap for reopening"). Written by a liberal American think tank, several authors of which have passed through the demanding Food and Drug Administration (federal agency for food and drug safety), it has just been handed over to those responsible for the administration of Donald Trump to prepare now for the crucial phase of "deconfinement", the end of confinement when the Covid-19 pandemic will be stabilized. This is far from being the case across the Atlantic, a new global epicenter, where New York City experiences a death every three minutes and New Orleans an apocalyptic development of the epidemic…

This practical guide, dated March 28, could well serve as a model for France for a gradual resumption of activity, as the tracks evoked make one think of those outlined on Wednesday April 1 by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe: a gradual deconfinement, region by region and by age group. Except that it is not a question of choosing between these three options, but of tackling them all head-on! Hence the complexity of the operation as long as there is no approved treatment or vaccine.

In Matignon, it is specified that a French plan is already being prepared, entrusted to a specific team within the crisis cell headed by the Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon. The famous American study, released on April 1, did not escape the attention of Solomon's experts. But when will we know the main lines of the French plan? "When it is ready," one eludes.

Serological tests at the heart of the system

Why speak already of deconfinement, when we have not reached the summit of pandemic Everest? Because "it will take time, but the planning of each phase must start now so that the infrastructure is in place at the time of the transition", explain the authors of the report, for which several imperative conditions must be met.

The first: to be able to mass test the population using rapid detection kits, the famous serological tests. They allow, with a drop of blood, to measure the antibodies produced by the body, either because the person has contracted Covid-19, or because he is naturally protected from it. During development, they would allow “immune” individuals to go out first to resume their activity, teleworking being recommended. This remains a medical gamble: at this point, it is only assumed that people who have been infected are protected against a rapid return of the disease.

People over the age of 60, the report continues, as well as those with health problems (low immunity, heart problems, etc.) should stay away from social life as much as possible, until a treatment or vaccine are available. Gatherings of more than 50 people would remain prohibited. Under these conditions, "a majority of schools, universities and businesses (could) reopen".

The “deconfined” would be encouraged to wear “non-medical cloth” masks. Even make them! Because, the American authors insist, it is better to have a homemade mask than nothing to limit the risks of contamination by "healthy carriers" (without symptoms) of the coronavirus.

Start with the first regions affected

There is no question, however, of proceeding on the scale of an entire country. The report recommends a state-by-state deconfinement, starting with the first affected by the "wave". And this, provided that the number of cases has started to decrease "for at least fourteen days" and that the resuscitation services are no longer congested. Applied to France, according to experts in crisis management, this would give, for example: the Grand Est region, first, then Picardy (including Oise), Hauts-de-France, I ' Ile-de-France, in order of recession, for a gradual recovery "early May". There would be a ban on traveling between regions.

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VIDEO. Coronavirus: government plans "regional deconfinement"

How to avoid aftershocks, inevitable without strict measures? Continuously screen the population, says the study, and take the temperature at the entrance to department stores, public services, stations, airports. As soon as an individual is tested positive, he would be isolated, at home or in special structures (requisitioned hotels, such as in South Korea). People who had been in contact with these positive cases would also be confined.

This implies, stresses the think-tank, to have tracking technologies to track their movements. On Wednesday, Edouard Philippe did not close the door, on the basis of "volunteering". And so on, gradually lifting the restrictions. But, complete the authors of the report as a warning, if it became impossible to trace the chains of contamination, it would then have to be reconfigured.

Source: leparis

All news articles on 2020-04-02

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