All French people are asked to stay at home for 15 days. A strict instruction announced by the President of the Republic, to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
To limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday 16th March 2020 radical measures lasting at least 15 days.
Without pronouncing the word “confinement”, he called on the French to limit their movements and contacts with others as much as possible. A measure that takes effect from tomorrow Tuesday 17th March at 12 noon. The President of the Republic justifies them as follows:
“It is an unprecedented effort, but circumstances compel me to do so. We are in a health war. The enemy is there and this requires our general mobilization”
The second round of elections and the postponed pension reform
The President of the Republic, who spoke on television at 8 p.m., made several announcements:
• Postponement of the second round of municipal elections
The second round of municipal elections, initially scheduled for Sunday 22nd March, will not take place on this date.
Read also: Edouard Philippe proposes to postpone the second round of municipal elections to June 21
• The closure of the borders of the European Union
Still with the aim of limiting the spread of Covid-19, Emmanuel Macron in consultation with the members of the European Union announces the closure of the borders in the Schengen area for 30 days.
“Les frontières à l’entrée de l’Union européenne et de l’espace Schengen seront fermées” pic.twitter.com/mGDXHFPsDB
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) March 16, 2020
• The reforms suspended
“All the reforms in progress are suspended” affirmed the head of state, in particular the very controversial pension reform.
• Taxis and hotels requisitioned
Tomorrow, Tuesday 17th March hotels and taxis will be mobilized for the benefit of the nursing staff. “We owe them (to the caregivers, note) also serenity in their movements and rest. The state will pay ”.
Adresse aux Français. https://t.co/V0kwXbU79J
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 16, 2020
• Installation of a field hospital
Le Grand-Est is one of the regions of France most affected by this new virus with more than 1,300 cases and 45 deaths, according to a last official report communicated on Sunday. Reason for which, the army will install a field hospital in Alsace. It is a temporary care establishment, set up in the event of a disaster, particularly close to a combat zone.
• Water, gas and electricity bills suspended
In order to avoid bankruptcy for small businesses, water, gas and electricity bills and rents will be suspended “as long as the situation lasts”. And Emmanuel Macron added: “For entrepreneurs, traders, artisans, a solidarity fund will be created, supplemented by the State and to which the Prime Minister will propose to the regions, too, to contribute”.
Stay at home
Concretely, what will change in our daily life?
- limited travel: it will be possible to go outside to do your shopping or to take care of yourself.
- contacts with limited relatives: family and friendly reunification prohibited “like meeting friends on the street” or walking
- The generalization of telework, as far as possible
He also called on the French, who are forced to stay at home to show solidarity between neighbors, to call their loved ones and to “invent new forms of solidarity” and to find “a sense of the essential”, for example to read books.
The Head of State clarified that in case of non-compliance with these instructions, sanctions could fall.
Why do we come to this device?
The Stage 3 of the epidemic Covid-19 was started in France. It was Edouard Philippe who announced this measure during a press briefing on Saturday March 14.
This measure first concerned all places open to the public , “not essential to the life of the country”, such as “bars, cafes, restaurants, places of worship, cinemas, nightclubs”. The latter closed their doors on Saturday 14th March at midnight and will not reopen before April 15th minimum, according to the order published in the Official Journal.
Despite the calls for caution and the requests made to the French to stay at home to avoid the spread of the virus, many braved the instructions and gathered to take advantage of the weekend or rush into the shops.
On this subject the president argues:
“I saw people in the parks, the restaurants who did not follow the instructions, as if life had not changed. You don’t protect yourself, but you don’t protect others. Even without symptoms, you can still transmit the virus.”
Italy and Spain already confined
Since March 10, 2020, Italy has been completely confined: the government has asked to “avoid displacement” on national territory and has ordered a “ban on assembly”. The country has crossed the dramatic threshold of 2,000 dead according to a last official report, published today. , according to the last report Sunday 15th March 2020.
[À LA UNE À 18H] – Le maire de New York a annoncé la fermeture des écoles publiques puis celle des bars et restaurants, privant à son tour la capitale financière et culturelle des États-Unis de vie sociale face à la menace du coronavirus #AFP (4/5) pic.twitter.com/93TPQ7DsDA
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) March 16, 2020
Italians are therefore requested to return home. Many images of Italians stranded at home have circulated on social networks in recent days.
My neighbours in Rome singing Bella Ciao ❤️🤍💚 pic.twitter.com/gu1NqNjlHQ
— Jessica Phelan (@JessicaLPhelan) March 13, 2020
Anche #Agrigento #restaacasa.#Covid_19 #coronavirusitalia #coronavirus #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/7bTzqbaQEH
— Gabriele Restivo (@restivogab) March 13, 2020
Since the 1.5 years I’ve been living in this neighbourhood, this is the most vibrant I have seen this street! #Covid19italia #coronavirusitalia #litaliachiamo #flashmob pic.twitter.com/bdKgV68Chu
— Yemi Adeyeye (@yemi_adeyeye) March 13, 2020
Same thing in Spain placed in quarantine since Saturday 14th March. That day, the Spanish government published a decree to establish the state of alert, for a minimum duration of fifteen days, specifies Le Monde.
The latest report said Sunday, 7,753 cases and 288 deaths. Thus, the population cannot leave their homes except to buy food or basic necessities, go to the bank and to the pharmacy and come to the aid of dependent persons.
In France, the situation “is very worrying” and “is deteriorating very quickly,” warned the Director-General of Health, Professor Jérôme Salomon. “The number of cases now doubles every three days,” he said, emphasizing, in particular, the “hundreds” of patients in intensive care and whose life prognosis is underway.
This Monday 16th March, Santé Publique France announced that the death toll was now 148 deaths and 6,633 cases of contamination on the national territory.
Practical information
The government has set up a coronavirus information number: 0800 130 000. Free, it is accessible 7 days a week and 24 hours a day.
