An advanced curfew, but no re-containment in sight.
Invited to the France 2 News Tuesday evening, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran again reported a "
high
"
plateau
of
daily Covid-19 contamination, and worrying situations in certain regions.
Faced with a possible "
uncontrolled
"
resumption
of the epidemic in these territories, the minister mentioned the possibility of starting the curfew at 6 pm on Saturday, and "
in consultation with local elected officials
".
An announcement that was not enough to reassure these elected officials who continue for some to demand confinement, especially in the Grand Est.
“
The curfew is a late measure which may prove to be insufficient.
"After a week to demand from the government a reconfinement, as well as"
anticipation
"and"
dialogue
", the socialist mayor of Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle), Mathieu Klein, expressed his concern in a press release , despite the new announcements.
"
Without quick effects, everyone must be aware that the question of containment will arise again,
" he lamented.
Read also: Covid-19: the list of departments where the curfew may be brought forward to 6 p.m. on January 2
In the neighboring department, the Republican mayor of Metz (Moselle), François Grosdidier, denounced the “
verticality
” of the government.
“
The prefect consulted me two days ago on the advancement of the curfew, I told him that it would be useless (…), I asked him that we empower as much as we can. and that the vaccinations be accelerated
, ”explained the elected official.
Reluctant from the start to the call of local elected officials for a new confinement, the city council is now calling for clarity.
"
If our emergencies are really saturated, then we have to reconfine locally, but real containment, like the first.
"
"
We must also change the discourse
", for his part urged the PS president of Meurthe-et-Moselle, Valérie Beausert-Leick.
“
It is not punishing the population to propose a reconfinement.
It is not to be unpopular to propose re-containment.
You really have to learn to work differently, to have more confidence in the people who live in the territories,
”insisted the elected official.
Some elected officials welcome the dialogue with the government
If the announcements are considered insufficient by some, others however welcome the method of the Minister of Health.
"
I retain two positive points
", developed Arnaud Robinet, LR mayor of Reims, on his Facebook account.
Before specifying: “
the territorialization of measures and this announcement of consultation with local elected officials which nevertheless begins too late.
"
An observation shared by the LR mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, for whom this adapted curfew is good news.
"
It makes the job easier
," said the Republican on France Inter.
“
From the moment we can no longer go out after 6 pm, naturally that allows us to be able to control all those who would like to deviate from the rule.
The elected official - who is starting an early vaccination campaign today in his city particularly affected by the epidemic - thus hailed the "
wisdom
" of the government for having taken into account "
the specificities of each territory
".
"
We believe that the government has listened to us, I thank it for this choice which is moreover followed by consultations
", he concluded.
