It is 9:45 p.m. this Sunday when the prefect of Oise leaves a last meeting. While the eyes of the whole of France are focused on the department, the cradle of the coronavirus epidemic in France, Louis le Franc answers questions from the Parisian.
How many cases have been officially diagnosed in the Oise?
Louis the Frank. We are in 49 cases.
According to our information, an 80-year-old patient died this Saturday evening at Compiègne hospital…
This case has nothing to do with the coronavirus epidemic.
Have special measures been taken for establishments welcoming elderly people?
Today no, but maybe it will be tomorrow. The situation is extremely changing. For example, during the day, I had the mayors of the nine municipalities concerned by the prefectural order closing schools, to tell them that their pupils who are schooled in other cities could go there. At 5.30 p.m., the department told me that it was no longer possible.
Nine confined communes, and tomorrow?
There may be more in the coming days. It is not me who decides, but the general directorate of health, in connection with the Regional Health Agency.
What are the criteria ?
The number of cases prevails. The mayor of Lacroix-Saint-Ouen called me, and with five positive diagnoses in his commune, he was integrated. But with only one case, like in Choisy-au-Bac, the city is not considered to be part of the propagation chain. Among mayors, the tendency is to want to be part of it.
Oise Newsletter
Every morning, the news of your department seen by Le ParisienI'm registering
Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more
Will stage 3 of the epidemic be reached in the Oise?
I think it can still be avoided, even if the concentration of patients is greater than anywhere else. With two cases at the start of the week and 49 this Sunday, progress is ultimately quite slow for a department which has more than 800,000 inhabitants. What will happen next week? We are doing everything to slow the virus down.
In the Oise, "collective gatherings" are prohibited. Can you detail?
There are no specific criteria and we leave room for maneuver to local elected officials. An event with 20-30 people, I don't react. One hundred people is starting to become a problem, especially if it's in a confined environment. A little mass, in a village, why not. In the Beauvais cathedral with 300 or 400 people, no. An annual village festival that brings together 2,000 people, no. A local market, I will not send the gendarmes!
Coronavirus: the market closed by the municipal police, the mass suspended in Crépy-en-Valois
What about private places? Cinemas, supermarkets, swimming pools…
They are also subject to the decree. But again, we appeal to the common sense of their managers. In a large area, people circulate. Two hundred people in a movie theater, with proximity ... It is better to avoid. As for swimming pools, I know that some municipalities have chosen to close them, but I did not ask for it.
The restrictive measures stop on March 14, the day before the elections. Can these be canceled?
It is beyond my jurisdiction. We will obviously ask ourselves the question, but it is a government decision. I think we will see more clearly at the end of next week.
This Monday, thousands of Oisians will reach Paris by train. No measures have been taken to limit their circulation, why?
I think the logic is still not to put the department under wraps. Or we don't do anything anymore.
Some also denounce a lack of measures taken at Beauvais airport.
These are the same as in the 25 other airports in France which have connections with Italy. I asked that flyers be given to passengers and that Ryanair's flight attendants be made aware. If a passenger has symptoms, all of them should be isolated. The Samu takes care of people with symptoms, the others must respect a fortnight and wear a mask.
