The second wave is sweeping the country.
Faced with the epidemic resurgence observed since the start of the school year, the executive had no other choice but to decide on new restrictions to try to contain the circulation of the virus on the territory.
Guest of TF1 and France 2 this Wednesday evening, Emmanuel Macron announced that he had again declared a state of health emergency, which will come into force this Saturday.
He then detailed his new strategy to fight Covid-19 for the coming weeks and months, while France has recorded 22,591 new cases and 104 deaths in the past 24 hours.
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● “Couvre-feu” from Saturday in Île-de-France and in 8 metropolises, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The "
curfew
" to avoid re-containment.
From this Saturday, the areas most affected by the virus will be placed under a hood between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., for a period of four to six weeks.
Paris and Île-de-France are concerned, as well as 8 other metropolises: Aix-Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, Saint-Étienne, Rouen, Grenoble, Montpellier.
That is some “
20 million
” people in total.
The objective is to "
reduce our most festive contacts
" but to "
continue to have a social life
" in "
schools
", "
universities
" or even "
associations
".
● “It would be disproportionate to re-define the country” at this stage
This is the red line that the executive especially does not want to cross.
Aware that the country remains traumatized by the seven weeks of confinement that were imposed last spring, Emmanuel Macron wanted to be reassuring, believing that "
it would be disproportionate to reconfigure the country
" at this stage.
● A derogatory certificate will be required to travel outside the authorized hours
There will be no “
ban
” on driving between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., but a “
limitation
”.
This is why derogatory certificates will be put into circulation in the coming hours, available to the general public.
They will be modeled on those that were already in force during the containment last spring.
● A fine of 135 euros in the event of non-compliance with the curfew
The control will be strict.
Anxious to "
reduce private contacts, which are the most dangerous contacts, that is to say the moments when there is a little relaxation
", Emmanuel Macron confirmed that those who violate the curfew would be liable to a fine of 135 euros.
● “No more than six” contacts per person, outside the direct family circle
This is called a “social bubble”.
Across the country, the Head of State asked “
not to be more than six at the table
” in a private setting - at home and in restaurants - but also in the street, in groups.
A "
rule of six
" that he developed on the model of that enunciated by the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
However, he pointed to an exception for large families.
"
If we are a family of 7, 8, 9, 10, we continue to have a normal family life,
" he said.
● The French will be able to go on holiday on All Saints' Day
Travel between regions will not be restricted.
Including during the All Saints holidays, which begin this weekend.
"
We are not preventing people from moving from one region to another or from going on vacation, but we will ask them to respect citizenship rules in the coming weeks
," said Emmanuel Macron.
The president reiterated his desire to "
empower
" the French, rather than "
infantilize
" them.
● "There will be no transport restrictions" despite the curfew
The curfew will result in "
no restrictions on public transport
" in the cities concerned, the head of state said.
The transport supply should therefore not be reduced compared to a normal situation.
"
There are people who will continue to work at night, in the evening or early in the morning, and there must be travel for good reasons,
" he explained.
● “Two-three days” of teleworking per week recommended, “not a panacea”
Teleworking can be one of the answers to the crisis.
The executive will therefore "
encourage people
" to resort to it "
two or three days a week
", in "
jobs where it is relevant
", in order to limit physical contact.
The Head of State, however, qualified this point, adding that this device should be implemented in concert with the social partners and "
intelligently
".
There are also no plans to shut down public services or post offices.
● The situation is "worrying" but "we have not lost control"
"
Neither inactive nor in panic
".
Emmanuel Macron immediately wanted to point out the balance to be maintained in the face of the health situation, which he described as "
worrying
".
"
We have not lost control,
" said the Head of State, facing the "
second wave
" of the epidemic.
“
This virus is dangerous and serious for everyone.
Now, today entered into a phase where, in fact, we must react
", he insisted, stressing that"
the virus is starting again
".
● The virus leaves consequences "that we do not fully understand"
No one is out of danger.
While "
half
" of patients currently in intensive care "
are under 65 years old
", Emmanuel Macron recalled that the virus "
strikes all age categories
".
Above all, he indicated that the Covid-19 leaves consequences "
that we do not fully understand
".
Even if they are cured, some patients have indeed "
lost their sense of smell, taste
" and they "
will have lesions of the lungs, sometimes cardiac, gastric and other cerebral consequences
".
● "We have it until the summer of 2021 at least" with the Covid-19
"
Test, alert, protect
".
The Head of State highlighted the government's strategy to slow the spread of the virus.
"
This is the key to the strategy that we must ramp up throughout the month of November and December, because we have it until the summer of 2021 at least
" with the Covid-19, has t -he indicates.
● Tests: a new "strategy" to "drastically reduce delays"
Emmanuel Macron promised a new "
strategy
" to "
drastically reduce the delays
" of screening tests, announcing the development of "
antigen tests
".
"
Recognized by the World Health Organization
", they allow to obtain a result "
in 15 to 20 minutes
".
"
As soon as we have a hesitation, that we are in contact, that we are symptomatic or that we have a doubt, we can be tested
", especially "
in pharmacies
".
“
It's going to be a real change,
” he said.
● A new application, “Tous anti-Covid”, presented on October 22
"StopCovid" is dead, long live "All anti-Covid".
Emmanuel Macron announced that a “
new application
” would be presented on October 22.
Designed to be easier to understand and use than the old one, it will provide information about the virus, its circulation, and nearby testing centers.
It should be activated in particular in the "
moments when (one is) exposed
" to the virus, such as bars, when they reopen.
"
It is a tool to better alert, trace and therefore, to identify the sources of contamination,
" pleaded the president.
● “Additional support” mechanisms for sectors in difficulty
The return of "whatever it costs".
Emmanuel Macron announced that the state would "
help as much as possible
" the companies and sectors most affected by the curfew.
"
We will improve the economic response to these professionals
", with "
additional support mechanisms
" in the metropolitan areas concerned, he said, without going into details.
The solidarity fund could however be strengthened.
"
I do not want our independents, our VSEs, our SMEs to close or go bankrupt because of this curfew
", he assured.
● New “massive exceptional aid” for beneficiaries of RSA and APL
Anxious to support “
the most modest
”, the hardest hit by the health and social crisis, Emmanuel Macron announced an appropriate “
response
”.
Recipients of RSA and APL will thus be able to receive "
exceptional aid
" during the next six weeks, in the order of "
150 euros, plus 100 euros per child
".
However, the “
fundamentals
” of the fight against precariousness remain: the executive is counting above all on a return to activity and employment, rather than on a “
unilateral increase in all our social minima
”.