Coronavirus: what to know this Friday, April 3

Good evening,

Today, on this 18th day of confinement, the Paris police prefect, Didier Lallement, unleashed an outcry , believing that the resuscitation patients were those who "had not respected confinement". The baccalaureate and patent tests will be replaced by continuous assessment. The Academy of Medicine recommends the compulsory wearing of a mask . Finally, the European Union displays its divisions despite the health crisis.

Good reading,

Roland Gauron, journalist at Le Figaro

1. Where is the epidemic?

After two consecutive days of decline, the number of deaths in hospitals rose again between Thursday and Friday. The Director General of Health, Jérôme Salomon, reported the death of an additional 588 people in the hospital environment, bringing this toll to 5091.

History of the epidemic in the 50 most affected countries. Marie Coussin and Nicolas Mondon for Fig Data

At the same time, at least 1,416 people died in retirement homes and other social medical facilities, according to still partial data. Taking this last figure into account, there have been 6,507 deaths due to Covid-19 since March 1.

In hospitals, 6,662 people are in intensive care, 263 more than the day before.

Read also: Follow the evolution of the epidemic, department by department

2. What happened today

A prefect in turmoil. "You don't need to be penalized to understand that those who are hospitalized today, found in intensive care units, are those who at the start of confinement did not respect it." The remarks made by the Paris prefect of police sparked a lively controversy, angering doctors and politicians. Didier Lallement was this morning Porte d'Orléans, in Paris, for a police operation aimed at preventing departures on vacation. The applicant was forced to apologize twice, first in writing and then facing the camera. "The triple fault of an awkward prefect , " decrypts Guillaume Tabard.

Read also: The ploys of those who want to defraud containment at all costs

Bac and patent in continuous control. The track was advanced yesterday by Édouard Philippe. The Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, confirmed that all the baccalaureate and certificate exams, normally scheduled for June, will be replaced by continuous monitoring. Only the oral examination of the French bac is maintained. “Quite a symbol. Even in 1968, final tests had been organized, in the form of oral exams, ” notes Caroline Beyer of the Society service. The reactions of high school students were quick to flow on social networks. The Student Figaro answers the many practical questions that arise. "The bin is dying before our eyes and so much the better: long live an orientation worthy of the name!" , welcomes Jean-Robert Pitte, former president of the Sorbonne.

The widespread use of a mask by the population would be a logical addition to the barrier measures currently in force.

Wearing the advocated mask. The Academy of Medicine recommended the compulsory wearing of a mask, "even an alternative" to medical masks. "The widespread use of a mask by the population would be a logical addition to the barrier measures currently in force," said the institution. However, says Anne-Laure Frémont of the Sciences department, there is no scientific consensus on the effectiveness or not of such a measure. The journalist also looked into a Chinese study pointing to better resistance of the O blood group to the virus. For their part, as spring has just started, people with allergies may be more sensitive to Covid-19.

Read also: Should we believe Professor Raoult?

Divided Europe. In Brussels, European officials continue to work through interposed screens. "Diplomacy and new technologies do not necessarily go well together," notes a diplomat. The health crisis has not failed to fuel the divisions between the Twenty-Seven . In question: coronabonds. "The blockage in the European Council has rekindled the division between the countries of the North, supporters of financial control, and those of southern Europe, even causing an unprecedented revolt in the South," observes Isabelle Lasserre. For her part, Bénédicte Lutaud explains why Portugal seems to be an exception on the continent.

In a letter to the Italians, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen apologized to the country for the EU's delayed reaction. REUTERS / François Lenoir

3. Sleep, cook, comb your hair ...

To sleep. With confinement, our days are no longer as rhythmic as before. Our less efficient biological clock "goes out of sync" . Result: our sleep is disturbed, notes Claire Conruyt. The journalist asked some advice from two specialists, Doctor Royant-Parola and clinical psychologist Juliette Lachenal. In their eyes, it is essential to recreate a timetable. Whether we are alone or with family.

Read also: Virtual postcards for heritage

Cultivate. "Happy as an intellectual in confinement? Like these renowned clerics, many confined individuals, students or employees in telework, take advantage of off-peak hours to start thinking, " recounts Eugénie Bastié, who has collected testimonies from French people who take advantage of the current situation to learn poetry. , read a paving stone lying around or learn philosophy. Some, despite good initial resolutions, had to quickly resign themselves, as the pace proves unbearable with children at home.

If the condition of our hair may seem like a frivolous concern in full containment, it serves as an indicator for a multitude of neuroses

To comb your hair. If men can be tempted to shave their beards for hygienic reasons, women deprived of a hair salon see their hair irretrievably grow, to the chagrin of some. The colors are washed out, the white roots emerge, the fringe becomes a little too long. "If the condition of our hair may seem like a very futile concern in full confinement, it serves to reveal a multitude of neuroses," said journalist Pauline Castellani who collected the tips of several hairdressers.

To read also: Samsam, 1917, # Jesuislà, the 31 films which, deprived of cinemas, are released urgently on VOD and DVD

To cook. The famous pastry chef Christophe Michalak delivers the secret of his rice pudding. "I have developed many techniques in my career: cook the rice separately in water, season it with white chocolate, include mascarpone ... to come up with this recipe, the simplest possible" , reveals leader. "My tip if you have any leftovers for the next day: put it in a gratin dish, sprinkle with brown sugar and put it in the oven for a few seconds in grill mode. You will get a crème brûlée caramelization… ”

4. Picture of the day

The Air Force has mobilized five helicopters and two transport planes to be able to evacuate daily from Île-de-France up to 30 patients to other regions. A total of 163 patients have been evacuated from the region in the past three days. AFP / Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt

5. Containment, instructions for use

Despite the containment measures, it is possible to leave your home in several cases:

• Go to your place of work, if teleworking is impossible.
• Do your shopping in "authorized local shops".
• Go to the doctor or pharmacy.
• Travel to babysit or care for "vulnerable" people.
• Make brief trips, one hour maximum and within a radius of one kilometer, related to individual physical exercise.
• Go to judicial or administrative summons.
• Participate in missions of general interest at the request of the administrative authority.

Read also: Coronavirus: what is allowed and what is prohibited during confinement

In the event of an inspection, you must present a certificate to the police. It can be downloaded here or be handwritten. The document must be completed at each outing to justify the reason. Violators are liable to a fixed fine of 135 euros, or even 1500 euros in the event of a repeat offense.

6. The reflexes to adopt

A few simple steps can limit the spread of the virus. Here they are :

• Wash your hands every hour.
• Cough or sneeze into the crease of his elbow.
• Use disposable tissues.
• Avoid kissing or shaking hands.
• Wear a mask when you are sick.
• Limit your movements as much as possible.

Covid-19 is spread by saliva through close contact with an infected person, especially when the person coughs or sneezes. The virus also remains viable for a few hours on different surfaces.

Read also: Coronavirus: highly contagious patients in the first days of infection

The disease manifests itself in several symptoms. In 9 out of 10 cases, this results in a fever below 39 ° C. According to the World Health Organization, this fever is most often accompanied by a state of fatigue , signs of shortness of breath and a dry cough .

7. What to do in case of symptoms?

The most important thing is not to go immediately to a general practitioner or to the emergency room to avoid infecting more people. Wearing a mask is highly recommended. For the rest, the recommendations of the Ministry of Health differ from case to case.

Stay home if you have few or no symptoms , taking care not to infect your loved ones. If you have a fever, take paracetamol. Possibly plan a follow-up teleconsultation with your doctor.

If you feel difficulty breathing , with a feeling of suffocation, after having felt proud and coughing for several days, call 15. Centers 15 being overwhelmed, rhinitis and fever or cough well tolerated should not make the subject of an appeal.

For any other question - there are probably many - do not hesitate to make a detour by this article.