Atmosphere of vigil of arms at the Defense Council.
Like every week now, Emmanuel Macron brought together the ministers concerned by the health crisis within this ultra-confidential body.
From which it emerges that there will be
"no evolution of the national restrictions this week",
according to the spokesman of the government, Gabriel Attal.
It is therefore the status quo, the time to measure the impact of the national curfew at 6 p.m.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister will not participate in the weekly press conference on the Covid-19 crisis.
Without announcement, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, will provide an update on the evolution of the epidemic and on the vaccination campaign.
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Covid-19: how the English variant upsets the forecasts
The threat of an uncontrolled rebound is becoming more precise, however, with the multiplication of contaminations linked to the British and South African variants of the Covid.
“We are on an ascending plateau,”
observes a member of the executive.
The hospital pressure begins to be felt.
The big unknown is the variants because there is a possibility that it goes exponentially. "
In the medical world, we are more alarmist.
"We expect the month of March to be very hard,"
Karine Lacombe, the head of the infectious diseases department at Saint-Antoine hospital, warned on Wednesday.
The situation at this point is under control, but it is not sure that it will remain so.
A member of the government
The specter of re-containment is there, even if
"we can still prevent it", we
hope in the government.
With caution, however.
“If there is a significant hike next week, we may take action.
The situation at this stage is under control, but it is not sure that it will remain so. "
With the prospect of reconfinement, concerns are growing for the country's economic activity.
While bars and restaurants were initially scheduled to reopen on January 20, if the epidemic had been controlled, the executive postponed the date without giving an horizon.
"
We seek to anticipate as much as possible, for all sectors, the visibility that we can give them on their reopening,"
said Gabriel Attal.
Rejected bill
Same fog for the ski resorts.
There was hardly any hope.
Between the patients of Covid and the wounded on the ski slopes, many in winter, the executive fears a congestion of hospitals.
As a sign of the disruptions to come, the government has postponed its bill on "great age", yet declared a priority for the end of the five-year term.
The text will be presented
"as soon as the health crisis allows",
warned the minister responsible for the file, Brigitte Bourguignon.
Impatient to resume his reforms, Emmanuel Macron is preparing to delay again under the pressure of the health crisis.
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Covid-19: the great depression of the students
Traveling Thursday to the University of Saclay to present the country's strategy in quantum research, the President of the Republic will also devote part of his visit to discussing with students.
They are experiencing more and more badly the health crisis which has kept them away from lecture halls and classrooms for almost a year.
On Wednesday, hundreds of them took to the streets across France to denounce the devastating effects of the crisis on their daily existence.
It may still last, however.
A few days ago, Emmanuel Macron asked them
"another effort".
It will not be enough.