Coronavirus, what you need to know this week: suspense around the containment

Hello,

After days of procrastination, a

third confinement

seems inevitable this morning.

The question of its form, however, is not yet settled even if a

“very tight”

confinement

is mentioned.

The executive is aware of the

exasperation of the French

, scalded by the Dutch example.

In

the Netherlands

, paradoxically, a curfew has set the country ablaze.

But the

variants

do not care and continue to advance as the UK mourns over 100,000 dead.

We understand the European Commission which is annoyed by the

delays in delivery

of vaccine doses announced by the laboratory AstraZeneca.

The good news comes from

Israel

, the most advanced country in vaccination.

The signs of efficacy of the vaccine are very encouraging.

Good reading,

Camille Lestienne, journalist at

Le Figaro.

1. Towards tight containment?

The French government fears the exasperation of the French in the face of a new confinement as in the Netherlands, where violent demonstrations have taken place.

ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN / AFP

The French are holding their breath

.

Emmanuel Macron seems hesitant to lock the country again while a new Defense Council was held on Wednesday.

“

The president considers the price of confinement to be exorbitant.

He is in great hesitation.

He sees that the system is reaching its limit,

”confides to

Figaro

a relative of the Elysee.

The head of state could have to choose between three nuances: delay (unlikely), reconfine in a few days, reconfine immediately.

And inside the reconfinement, a range of measures to be decided.

Close schools?

Both teachers and parents are not in favor.

Close the shops?

Some would not recover.

For the Ministry of the Economy, a third confinement could lead to a loss of activity between 10% and 18% depending on the degree of constraint.

The fact remains that, according to government spokesperson Gabriel Attal, the curfew introduced at 6 p.m. "

has relative effectiveness

" and "

does not sufficiently slow down

" the spread of the virus.

Which could tip the scales towards very tight containment.

The decision is expected this weekend as the number of Covid-19 patients hospitalized continued to increase yesterday, with more than 27,000 patients including more than 3,100 in intensive care, a figure also on the rise.

But the executive is walking on eggshells, aware of the exasperation of part of the French who are already rebelling and announcing the color on Twitter with the hashtag #JeNeMeConfineraiPas.

Read also: Covid-19: is the situation better or worse than before the two confinements?

Everyone was surprised by the violent nature of the protests.

Kleis Jager, correspondent for the Trouw newspaper in Paris on the Netherlands

The Dutch are fighting back.

They have passed the course of exasperation.

In the Netherlands, riots engulfed the country after a curfew was imposed.

“By observing the tone of the conversations on the internet, it was not difficult to understand that a denial movement on the reality of the Covid, very hostile to scientific opinions and to containment measures, was rising very strongly.

But everyone was surprised by the violent nature of the protests, ”

notes Kleis Jager, correspondent for the

Trouw

newspaper

in Paris.

In Israel too, young ultra-Orthodox Jews defy the health measures taken by the authorities and violently confront the police.

Among our Italian neighbors, reports the correspondent of

Figaro

, rebellion is gentler.

Restaurant owners have decided to open despite the ban by launching the hashtag #ioapro.

A movement finally followed by less than 10,000 establishments out of the 300,000 in Italy.

Read also: "The riots in the Netherlands could give ideas to young French people"

2. Questions about the different variants

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hinted that the English variant of the coronavirus could be more deadly.

TOBY MELVILLE / REUTERS

The variants question.

To decide on containment, the French authorities have their eyes riveted on the figures for the progression of the English variant.

In Île-de-France, it is involved in nearly 10% of cases of contamination, which augurs for an upcoming "

very significant

" increase in the number of patients, doctors from the Public Assistance-Hospitals of Paris (AP-HP).

An indicator that is all the more crucial since many questions still arise about the mutants of Sars-Cov-2.

If they make the virus much more contagious, should we also fear that they will defeat individual immunity?

The doubts remain for the Brazilian and South African variants but seem to be raised for the English variant.

On the other hand, is the latter more deadly as suggested by the British Prime Minister?

For the group of researchers cited by Boris Johnson, it is "

reasonably possible

", but beware: given the progress made in hospital care, the death rate would actually remain lower than that recorded last March .

The United Kingdom, however, passed the 100,000 mark on Tuesday, the heaviest toll in Europe and the fifth globally.

It exceeds the number of British civilians killed during the Second World War, notes the correspondent of

Le Figaro

in London.

And the country in turn barricades itself against the other variants by imposing a quarantine at the hotel for arrivals from countries at risk.

Read also: Covid-19: contagiousness, lethality ... Know everything about the different variants

Read also: The great French mess of the sequencing of coronavirus variants

3. The effective vaccine in Israel

Like many of his fellow citizens, the Israeli prime minister receives the second dose of the vaccine against Covid.

POOL / REUTERS

Vaccines are making waves in Europe.

While France exceeded the million people on Saturday who received a first dose of vaccine, Olivier Véran is staying the course.

It is still targeting the 70 million French people vaccinated with the two necessary doses "

by the end of August

".

This is without counting the delivery delays.

Pfizer was the first laboratory to announce it, but competitor Sanofi came to the rescue.

Its managing director, Paul Hudson, told

Le Figaro

that the laboratory will begin to bottle the Pfizer / BioNTech product in July at its factory in Frankfurt.

Last Friday, Britain's AstraZeneca in turn declared that deliveries of its future vaccine would be delayed, arousing the wrath of the European Commission.

The laboratory will deliver 4.6 million doses of its Covid vaccine to France by the end of March, half less than expected, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.

Also attacked in the German press on the effectiveness of its vaccine on only 8% of the elderly, AstraZeneca defends itself through the voice of its CEO Pascal Soriot, who categorically denies.

Finally, the last disappointment of the week: the Pasteur Institute announced Monday that it was stopping the development of its main vaccine project against Covid-19, deemed not to be effective.

Read also: Vaccines: French research pushed to reform

Study of 135,000 people who have been vaccinated shows tiny percentage of people protected have fallen ill

Thierry Oberlé, correspondent in Jerusalem

Israel soon to be immune?

The most advanced country in vaccination with a quarter of its population protected, Israel is leading by example.

According to the

Figaro

correspondent

in Jerusalem, the results of the rapid and intense vaccination campaign carried out by the authorities are very encouraging.

"

A study of 135,000 people who have been vaccinated shows that a tiny percentage of people protected fell ill (around 0.05%),

" he says.

With rare side effects, the country plans to vaccinate pregnant women and young people all the more quickly as the virus continues to circulate actively.

In the United States, too, we are accelerating.

The White House has announced the order for 200 million additional doses of Covid-19 vaccine with the goal of being able to vaccinate the entire American population by the end of the summer.

4. Curfew, instructions for use

Partly deconfined, France has been under curfew

since December 15

.

It is possible to move around freely during the day but leaving your home is prohibited

between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

, under penalty of a fine of 135 euros.

A schedule imposed on the entire metropolitan territory

since January 16.

There are exceptional reasons for which a certificate must be presented.

• Business trips.

• Consultations and care

• Travel for imperative family reasons.

• Travel for people with disabilities and their companions.

• Judicial or administrative summons.

• Participation in missions of general interest

• Travel related to transit

• Short trips for the needs of pets.

Read also:

Curfew certificate at 6 p.m.: download the paper or smartphone form

5. Reflexes to keep

A few simple actions can limit the spread of the virus.

Here they are :

• Wash your hands every hour or use hydroalcoholic gel

• Cough or sneeze into the crease of your elbow

• Use disposable tissues

• Avoid kissing or shaking hands

• Wear a mask in public spaces when respect for physical distances is not guaranteed.

Covid-19 is transmitted through droplets (respiratory secretions), by close contact with an infected person, especially when the latter coughs or sneezes.

But it can also be transmitted through the air.

The virus also remains viable for a few hours on different surfaces.

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 fatigue, signs of shortness of breath and a dry cough.

Often a loss of smell and taste.

6. What to do in case of symptoms?

The most important thing is to get tested.

According to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, you should, in case of symptoms, stay at home and contact your doctor who will order a test.

While waiting for the result, you must isolate yourself, wear a mask and prepare a list of people you could have infected.

If the test is positive

, the Primary Health Insurance Fund will contact people likely to be infected.

You must then remain isolated for at least 8 days, taking care not to infect your loved ones.

Watch your health.

In case of fever, take paracetamol.

Plan a follow-up remote consultation with your doctor if necessary.

If you feel that you are having difficulty breathing, call 15.

If the test is negative

, contact your doctor and follow his instructions.

See you next week.