Home » Macron live on TV: “All of France becomes red zone, general mobilization in April”

Macron live on TV: “All of France becomes red zone, general mobilization in April”

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PARIS – “A lot is being played in this month of April”. Emmanuel Macron goes on TV to ask the French to grit their teeth. Another month. With many doctors demanding a new squeeze in the face of the third wave, the French leader announces that he is expanding the red zone to all of France. In recent weeks, the government had tried the provincial approach, with 19 departments in “reinforced surveillance”. From this Saturday, on the other hand, 67 million French will have to comply with the same restrictions: essential shops closed, curfew from 7 pm, travel between regions prohibited, with a tolerance only for travel during the next Easter weekend.

Closed schools

It was the most anticipated point of the head of state’s speech. Since last May, France has no longer closed schools, maintaining the normal school calendar. Macron made it a symbol. In his speech he recalled the social, economic, psychological and health damages caused by the removal of the youngest from the education system. “This is what has so far really distinguished us from many neighboring countries” they observe at the Elysée. But after trying hard, practically everything closed – bars, restaurants, shops – there was no other weapon left in the war against the virus.

And so Macron has announced that the children will stay at home for most of April. In the case of high schools and middle schools it is four weeks starting from April 6 until May 3, two of vacation already planned and two in dad. For nursery and primary schools, for which there is no dad, only a week of closure has been added to the spring holidays, set for all from 10 to 26 April. In universities, the current day of attendance every week, in effect at present, has been confirmed.

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Reinforcements for hospitals

Since the beginning of March, the predominance of the English variant, Macron observes, has “created an epidemic within an epidemic” with a virus that has become “more contagious and dangerous”. The French leader stressed that 44% of the most seriously ill are now under the age of 65. Covid patients already occupy over 5,000 seats in intensive care, the total capacity in normal times. Many hospitals are already over 100% of their capacity and Macron praised their heroism again yesterday, promising “reinforcements”. “There is no risk of saturation in hospitals,” adds a source from the Elysée who downsizes the alarms circulated by some doctors in the Ile-de-France, the Paris region. Macron’s goal is to rise from the current 7 thousand intensive care places (almost all occupied, counting non-Covid patients) up to 10 thousand. Despite the perplexities of some experts in Macron’s entourage, there is the belief that they can avoid dramatic scenes such as those seen in Lombardy last spring. “We will continue to be a country where no patients are refused treatment” they say to the Elysée.

“Braking without closing”

“We want to give confidence to the citizens”. Macron insists on the spirit of responsibility and for this reason he has decided not to repeat the self-certification for travel. Movements are free within ten kilometers from home. However, the French leader has announced a tightening of controls, without ever using the word “confinement”, lockdown. Indeed, it has re-proposed the slogan “brake without closing”, disputed by some experts for its ambiguity. Macron had not wanted to make a lockdown as early as January when Germany had decided. The president defends that decision. “We have preserved face-to-face teaching for our children and work for many people,” replies the head of state. Who does not want to hear about “gambling” or gambling as claimed by his political opponents. “You don’t bet with people’s health” they say at the Elysée.

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The turning point from May

The French leader insists on this passing month, in which the third wave should pass its peak while the vaccination campaign can finally go mass. There have been delays, Macron admits. That does not make mea culpa but adds: “We have held, we have learned and each time we have improved”. The pace of drug company deliveries is finally accelerating: with 3 million doses arriving every week. From April 16, the vaccination will be extended to all over 60s, then from May 15 to all over 50s. From mid-June it will be the turn of those under 50 and “by the end of the summer – underlined the president – all French adults who want to be vaccinated “. Macron started talking about the first “gradual reopening” starting from mid-May, for example outside bars and restaurants and some cultural places. In France, unlike Italy, they have never reopened since the second lockdown, that is from the end of October.

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