A call at the end of the afternoon to notify the President of the Republic, then a second in the process for the attention of the Prime Minister who wished him "a speedy recovery". This Monday, Franck Riester took his phone to inform the executive couple that he was infected with the coronavirus. It is the first time that a member of the government has been affected since the start of the epidemic in France. Proof, if any, that the crisis spares no one. Even the most protected personalities.
"He passed a test which turned out to be positive, he is confined until further notice to his home in his Parisian home and remains in the fortnight", tells us the entourage of the Minister of Culture, with the will to play down the drama maximum the situation. "He is in good shape, he just has the symptoms of a small flu," added one. Randomly or not, he had spent several days last week before the Cultural Affairs Committee of the National Assembly to present his audiovisual bill. Even where five deputies have been infected to date, including two hospitalized.
"We are not going to take a risk!" "
As a precaution, seeing the first cases declared in the hemicycle, Riester had also canceled this weekend his participation in the last public meetings of his municipal campaign in Coulommiers (Seine-et-Marne).
After the news of his positive test, doubt is no longer allowed. As a direct result, he will not participate in the Council of Ministers on Wednesday morning. “We are still eighteen around the table. We are not going to take any risks! "Choked Monday evening one of his counterparts who himself has been in contact with him in recent days. "Anyway, it's already been two weeks since we no longer shake hands in government," said Minister of Health Olivier Véran, on BFMTV, to minimize the risk. He still revealed that he himself had done the test two days ago, "because I had a small cold and I went to the Oise," he said. The result was negative. Have other ministers taken this test like him? "To my knowledge no," says Véran, however taking refuge behind medical confidentiality.
Others must "control their temperature"
“The protection rules are the same for ministers as for all French people. They must comply with the barrier gestures and, if they have been in contact with sick people, regularly check their temperature and warn the health services in case of symptoms, "specifies his entourage of Edouard Philippe, concerned to show that members of government are housed in the same boat as any other citizen.
Secluded at home, Franck Riester should nevertheless still direct his ministry, but at a distance. “He will continue to work while respecting the isolation rules. If other ministers were to be tested positive, they would follow the same rules of isolation, continues Matignon, while refusing to give in to the slightest psychosis. "Frankly, we are not worried. And if it has to happen, well it will happen ”, summarizes, a bit fatalistic, an egg of the majority.