EPIDEMIC: With the approach of the holidays, the government wants to avoid coronavirus contaminations during family reunions
Children will be exempt from school on the last two days of this week. The Prime Minister announced this Tuesday on Europe 1 that parents could not send their children to school Thursday and Friday, to avoid contamination with coronavirus Covid-19 during family reunions for the end of year celebrations.
“Whenever possible, especially if we have to receive vulnerable people at Christmas, the Scientific Council (…) has said (…) if you can not take your children to school on Thursday and Friday (…), you do it ”, declared Jean Castex on Europe 1, taking up a recommendation from the Scientific Council. He also recommends that you self-confine a week before end-of-year family and social gatherings.
No date for restoration
A note will be sent to the rectors on Tuesday. Parents must, however, notify schools. Scientists also call on schoolchildren and high school students to strengthen barrier gestures in this last week before the holidays. EELV MEP Yannick Jadot welcomed a “pragmatic” recommendation. “That’s pragmatic, let’s trust the French,” he said on BFMTV / RMC.
Jean Castex also stressed that he could not “guarantee” to date that the cafes, bars and restaurants “will reopen on January 20th”. “It will depend on how we have spent the holiday season, which I have already said could be conducive to an accelerated circulation” of the virus “if we were not collectively responsible,” said the Prime minister.
Culture review clause
“It is heartbreaking for me to close restaurants but it is necessary”, insisted Jean Castex, affirming that making these decisions was “a great source of difficulties sometimes of suffering”. Concerning the world of culture, also hard hit by the restrictions, the Prime Minister recalled that the health “results” were “not yet at the rendezvous” to allow recovery.
“The cultural exception is not the health exception”, summed up the Prime Minister, while several rallies are scheduled for Tuesday to protest against the closures. “A review clause” was set for those involved in culture “on January 7, they will work on it with the Minister and see how, if the epidemiological conditions improve, we can then gradually consider their reopening”, continued Jean Castex. This Tuesday, France enters a new phase of deconfinement with the removal of travel restrictions and the return of the curfew.
