Coronavirus: what you need to know this Monday, May 18

Good evening,

Today, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron presented a 500 billion euro fund to straighten Europe. At the time of the resumption of the courses for the colleges of the "green zones" , Le Figaro became a Marseilles establishment. While the Minister of Health has announced a "Ségur de la Santé", several figures from the hospital sector outline their solutions to cure the hospital . Finally, after a week of deconfinement and especially two months of stoppage, the real estate market has regained colors.

Good reading,

Roland Gauron, journalist at Le Figaro

1. Where is the epidemic

The Covid-19 made 131 additional victims in 24 hours in France, according to the daily assessment of the Directorate General of Health. In total, at least 28,239 deaths have been recorded since March 1. In detail, 17,589 deaths were reported in hospitals - 123 more compared to Sunday - and 10,650 deaths in social and medico-social establishments - only eight additional deaths.

Average change in the number of patients over a week. Marie Coussin and Nicolas Mondon for Fig Data

The number of patients in intensive care continues to drop, falling below the 2,000 mark for the first time since March 22. If 19,015 people are still hospitalized, the number of serious cases in intensive care is established in 1998, that is 89 less in 24 hours. This figure, which reflects in particular the pressure on the hospital system, has been declining continuously since April 9, after reaching a peak at 7148.

Read also: Follow the evolution of the epidemic, department by department

2. What happened today

Paris and Berlin on the move. At a joint press conference, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel unveiled a vast Franco-German "initiative" at the end of the afternoon , the first step towards a coordinated economic recovery on the Old Continent. We summarize the main axes of this common plan. The Franco-German couple notably calls for the creation of a “stimulus fund” of 500 billion euros. However, these are only proposals on which the European Commission will have to act. But many obstacles remain before reaching a compromise of the Twenty-Seven, recalls the correspondent of Figaro in Brussels, Anne Rovan. Despite everything, according to our political columnist Guillaume Tabard, "the head of state has made a point by managing to make an economic nightmare the lever of his European dream" .

In a few hours, the children acquired automatisms, a new way of being with others.

Part of the colleges are reopening. A week after the elementary school students, it was the turn of some 185,000 middle school students in grades 6 and 5 to find their way to school this Monday in the “green zones” of the epidemic. The journalist Pierre Saint-Gilles went to the Chape college in Marseille. “In a few hours, the children acquired automatisms, a new way of being with others. Their speed of adaptation and the seriousness they take in assimilating all the standards laid down are very reassuring, ” confided to him the documentalist, Marion Mourlam. Since last week, 70 schools have nevertheless had to be closed after the discovery of cases of coronavirus, announced this morning the Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer. This figure concerns all of the 40,000 establishments that have reopened since May 11. "Almost every time, these are cases that occur outside the school," said the minister interviewed on RTL.

Read also: Deconfinement: the Council of State orders to lift the ban on assembly in places of worship

At the bedside of the public hospital. After the coronavirus crisis, the rescue of the public hospital will be one of the key elements of Emmanuel Macron's assessment. The executive wants to quickly quell the anger of caregivers, on strike for over a year. Olivier Véran announced a “Ségur de la santé” on May 25 and the president undertook to increase wages. The government's plan will have to take into account a budget that is more constrained than ever. We interviewed several representatives from the sector. Professor Bernard Granger, head of service at the AP-HP, calls for a correction of the hospital's funding method. According to him, "the administration should be at the service of care and not accounts" . For Frédéric Valletoux, president of the Federation of Hospitals of France, "immediate measures are needed so that the dam does not give way" . Others put on the table the idea of ​​a new statute halfway between the private sector.

Read also: Is there a balance of coronavirus among caregivers?

The real estate market is starting again. After two months of stoppage, the real estate market resumed its rights with the deconfinement. Good news for agencies: sellers and buyers are waiting for you. The houses with the garden are already shaping up to be the future stars of the market. The professionals questioned remain cautious about the impact on prices, especially in the countryside. Another notable change: candidates to buy no longer hesitate to negotiate prices in popular cities. "Some real estate agencies have started to alert sellers of the possible impact of the health crisis on the price," warns our journalist Jorge Carasso. Although they remain attractive, credit rates increased slightly, between 0.3% and 0.4% in April, raising fears of a more sustainable increase. "Future buyers could not imagine a worse scenario," fears our colleague Guillaume Errard.

All the real estate networks have noticed an influx of connections to the houses offered for sale in the Parisian suburbs or in the countryside. 267539411 / Eléonore H - stock.adobe.com

3. View, read, disconnect ...

Sign out. During confinement, with the spread of telework, the use of multiple communication channels, with its cohort of alerts and notifications, can lead to stress and saturation, underlines our journalist Aude Sérès. "This multiplication of notifications is synonymous with wasted time: each time your attention is diverted, you take two minutes to focus again on what you were doing before," confirms psychologist Laurence Einfalt. And to advise: "Cutting alerts is essential. You have to book well-marked breaks and times throughout the day to consult them. For example, every hour or half an hour. ”

Also read: Guerlain, Bulgari, Tod's ... New arrivals for the week

See. In the absence of the Cannes Festival, Éric Neuhoff invites you to watch the Palme d'Or 2017, The Square by Ruben Östlund. “If Östlund was a general, he would not leave any survivors. His camera is a flame thrower. “The Square”, which pays its attention to contemporary art, is an all-terrain massacre game. Modern man, with his good conscience, comes out crucified, eviscerated. The spectacle is pleasing, “ praises our journalist. “Östlund dares, disturbs, shakes. His character struggles in large Shakespearean shadows. His angry pessimism is communicative. Living together takes a hit. This exercise in freedom , to be reviewed this Monday on Arte at 20.55 pm, made some teeth cringe. The goal is reached." The film is also available until May 24 on VOD on the arte.tv website.

We find in this "autobiography of an illiterate misanthrope and mad about gangsters" the charm, the humor, the derision, the melancholy which make the qualities of Woody Allen

Read. Our film critic also read, by the way , Woody Allen's autobiography, which will appear on June 3 in France, at Stock. Verdict: “Film buffs will be thrilled. We find in this “autobiography of an illiterate misanthrope and mad about gangsters” the charm, the humor, the derision, the melancholy which make the qualities of the director. There is also his unconsciousness (he doesn't understand that one can be shocked by his union with Soon-Yi, to whom the book is dedicated), his egotism. ” While waiting for the book to come out, the filmmaker confided for a long time during an interview with our journalist about cinema, his lifestyle, his readings, his successes and his setbacks ...

Read also: Digital comics: platforms are trying to convert the French

Taste. Our guest chef Matthias Marc, a revelation of the young Parisian scene at the Substance restaurant, takes us to his native village of Doubs to discover smoked trout from the Jura. "I am a child of the Jura, and, like many kids from this small country, the trout that I prefer is that of my childhood. The trout of the memories, the trout of the summers, that of the mops between friends, that of the bike paths, that of the fishing boxes. In my village, there is a stream that crosses and winds up to the Doubs, which is full of trout, ” says the young cook. He teaches us for the occasion to prepare his rillette of smoked trout, green asparagus and condiment of garlic.

4. Photo of the day

St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, closed since March 10, reopened on Monday morning with the precautionary measures required by the pandemic. Handout / VANTICAN MEDIA / AFP

5. Deconfinement, instructions for use

The deconfinement does not mark the return to the life of before. It is done gradually and differentiated according to the red or green areas. Here are some rules to remember.

• The movements are allowed a limit of 100 km around the home. Beyond that, a certificate - available here - is required to justify a compelling, family or professional reason. The borders are closed until June 15.
• In public transport , the mask is compulsory and its absence liable to a fine of 135 euros. In Île-de-France, an employer certificate is required during peak hours. It can be downloaded here.
• The gatherings are limited to 10 people in the public space.
• Parks and gardens are once again open in green areas only . Forests, on the other hand, are accessible everywhere. The beaches are in principle closed unless the prefect decides otherwise.
• The practice of individual sport is again authorized outdoors, respecting the limit of 10 participants.
• Places of worship are open, but religious ceremonies cannot resume until the end of May or the beginning of June.

Find more details in our articles:

Read also: These new rules which will be imposed on the French on Monday

6. The reflexes to adopt

A few simple steps can limit the spread of the virus. Here they are :

• Wash your hands every hour.
• Cough or sneeze into the crease of his elbow.
• Use disposable tissues.
• Avoid kissing or shaking hands.
• Wear a mask when you are sick.
• Limit your movements as much as possible.

Covid-19 is spread by saliva through close contact with an infected person, especially when the person coughs or sneezes. The virus also remains viable for a few hours on different surfaces.

Read also: Coronavirus: highly contagious patients in the first days of infection

The disease manifests with several symptoms. In 9 out of 10 cases, this results in a fever below 39 ° C. According to the World Health Organization, this fever is most often accompanied by fatigue , signs of shortness of breath and a dry cough .

7. What to do in case of symptoms?

The most important thing now is to get tested. According to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, you should, if you have symptoms, stay at home and contact your doctor who will order a test. While waiting for the result, you must isolate yourself, wear a mask and list the people you may have contaminated.

Read also: From the isolation test to the tracing of contact cases, the patient's journey from Covid

If the test is positive, the Primary Health Insurance Fund will contact those likely to be infected. You must then remain isolated for at least 8 days, taking care not to contaminate your loved ones. Watch your health. If you have a fever, take paracetamol. Possibly plan a follow-up teleconsultation with your doctor.

If you feel difficulty breathing , call 15.

If the test is negative, contact your doctor and follow their instructions.

See you tomorrow.