Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday, August 25, after a health defense council, that " clear rules " would be established " everywhere " in France to deal with the resumption of the Covid-19 epidemic and " allow everyone to regain confidence ". " Priority health ", declared the head of state in a tweet. “ This morning I assembled a defense council to organize the return to school under the best possible conditions in view of the epidemic evolution. School, work, public places: clear rules everywhere to allow everyone to regain confidence, ”he adds.
Live: LIVE - Coronavirus: Spanish Prime Minister announces use of army to fight pandemic
One week before the start of the school year, the Head of State chaired a meeting at the Elysee Palace for about three hours bringing together a good part of the government around Prime Minister Jean Castex. 16 ministers attended, half by videoconference, as well as the Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon. “ To overcome the health crisis, we must learn to live with the virus. There is no inevitability: if we show unity and a sense of responsibility, we will succeed, ”assured Emmanuel Macron in another tweet.
The defense council assessed the evolution of the virus, in particular in the regions where it circulates the most such as Ile-de-France or Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The president and ministers also took stock of health protocols while wearing a mask will be compulsory in companies, colleges and high schools from September 1. The question of gauges in sporting or cultural events as well as that of border controls were also raised. These measures will again be on the menu of the Council of Ministers for the return to school on Wednesday, after the media intervention of Jean Castex, guest of the morning of France Inter.
Several opposition leaders again called on Tuesday for free distributions of masks in schools. Jean-Michel Blanquer had announced Friday that they could be given free of charge to families " in great difficulty " but that, for the rest, they were part of " the back-to-school supplies ". Part of the opposition also regretted the postponement until next week, probably on September 2, of the stimulus plan, which was originally due to be presented on Tuesday.
" The stimulus plan for economic, ecological and social reconstruction will be presented next week ," reaffirmed Emmanuel Macron. Nearly 2,000 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in France in the past 24 hours, against nearly 5,000 on Sunday, according to figures released Monday evening by the Directorate General of Health.
