PANDEMIC: We summarize the speech of Emmanuel Macron this Wednesday evening devoted to the fight against the second wave of coronavirus
- Emmanuel Macron spoke this Wednesday at 8 pm from the Elysee Palace on the coronavirus epidemic.
- Deploring the exponential increase in contaminations, the president announced a new containment for the whole country, as of this Friday, and at least for one month.
- There will be three new features compared to the spring confinement: schools will remain open, you can visit your loved ones in retirement homes and you can go to the office, even if teleworking should be generalized.
It’s the return of the attestation. Seven months after the confinement introduced in mid-March to fight against the coronavirus, the president decided to reconfigure the country. Emmanuel Macron has expressed at 8pm on Wednesday, live from the Elysee Palace. The head of state spoke for about twenty minutes to present this confinement, a little different from the previous one, and call on the French to be responsible and to keep “hope”.
An epidemic out of control
Emmanuel Macron first took stock of the alarming health situation. “The virus is circulating at a speed that even the most pessimistic forecasts had not anticipated,” he said, warning that the second epidemic wave may be “harder and more deadly” than the first.
Faced with these figures, the president said the need to give “a brutal brake on contamination”. He noted the failure of measures taken since the start of the school year, including night curfews from October 16. “It is not enough, it is no longer enough. ”
Return of confinement, with three new features
From this perspective, Emmanuel Macron has ruled out the search for collective immunity, or the triptych “test, alert, protect”. To “protect all the French”, he chose to impose a new confinement, from this Friday and at least until December 1st. “All the national territory is concerned”, with the exception of developments in the overseas territories, underlined the Head of State without detailing them. Travel between regions will be prohibited, with a “tolerance” this weekend for the return of the All Saints holidays.
This confinement will resemble that of spring, but with three new features, concerning schools , work and people in retirement homes .
As in spring, it will only be possible to leave home to work, to go to a medical appointment, to assist a loved one, to do “essential” errands or to take the air “near” home. And that will require a certificate. But from nursery to high school, all schools will remain open, “with reinforced health protocols”. “Online courses” will be used in universities.
Measures reassessed every two weeks
Telework “will be generalized again” , but “you can go out to work”, said Emmanuel Macron. As for visits to retirement homes and nursing homes, they will be authorized , contrary to the rules in force last spring.
On the other hand, “non-essential” businesses will have to close, such as bars, restaurants and other establishments open to the public. “We will assess every fortnight if these measures can be lightened,” said the Head of State, who still hopes to “reopen certain businesses before the holidays” at the end of the year. The government has also planned to set up a “special plan” dedicated to self-employed workers, traders, micro-businesses and SMEs.
Compulsory and rapid tests to enter the territory
The president recalled the goal of lowering the circulation of the virus below the ceiling of 5,000 new daily cases. “Mandatory” tests will be imposed “for all arrivals” in “ports, airports”, and “for international travel”. Europe’s internal borders “will remain open” and “with some exceptions, the external borders will remain closed”.
Emmanuel Macron also expressed his empathy. “I know the weariness and the feeling of an endless day that wins us over, whatever happens we must remain united and united and not give in to the poison of division.” He concluded on a note of hope. “We must cultivate the hope of celebrating Christmas as a family.” But it will “take until the vaccine, in the summer of 2021, scientists tell us” .
Details of this second confinement will be given Thursday by Prime Minister Jean Castex, during a press conference, Thursday at 6.30 p.m.
