Paris (AFP)

"There, it's a big blow": the death, at 16, of Julie A., contaminated by the Covid-19, shakes a part of the French youth until then spared by the epidemic of coronavirus, reputed to touch mainly the elderly or vulnerable.

"Before, I said to myself, we are young! Only the old can die: I felt invincible," says Emma Tubery, 20, close to Julie's sister.

The death of Julie, who came to her home in her suburban home to play with her little sister, "put the ideas back in place," she admits.

Now, the young student speaks of "awareness", "the good of all" and even recommendations on the confinement of Emmanuel Macron.

In the middle of the night, between Tuesday and Wednesday, Julie, 16, from Essonne in the Paris suburbs, died of coronavirus in a Paris hospital, making her the youngest French victim of the pandemic.

Starting from a simple cough, the young girl's state of health deteriorated in the space of a few days.

"I know it's not like any other disease," says Nolwenn, 17, who lives in the Rouen suburbs.

Observing the meter of the number of deaths getting carried away day after day, the girl refuses the idea of ​​being afraid but strictly respects the confinement for fifteen days.

For his part, Jean-Lou in Bordeaux, says he is "serene" in the face of the virus as far as he is concerned. Just maybe, a funny state of mind: "I don't know how the virus can attack me and how my body can react, it's a strange feeling", describes the 17-year-old high school student.

The young man's concern is above all not to be a healthy carrier of the virus and to risk infecting family members.

But this concern is far from going beyond the little anxiety linked to the bac exams which, because of the epidemic and the closure of all schools, could be postponed or modified.

- "Not much" -

For another part of the youth, on the other hand, it is still carelessness which prevails over the principles of precaution.

"I'm not risking much, I'm young," obstinately maintains Titouan, 16, who lives in Saint-Lunaire in Brittany.

Between two online courses, he continues jogging, walking with his dog.

"Me, I can't feel directly threatened. How can I feel concerned by an illness at 18?" Asked Côme, in final year in Rouen.

Worried, however, for his parents and grandparents, he respects confinement "to the letter" and has no physical contact "with anyone".

According to the latest report on Friday, the pandemic of the new coronavirus has killed more than 25,000 people worldwide, 1,696 in France.

At least 547,034 cases of infection have been officially diagnosed since the end of December.

Authorities on Friday warned of the extremely high tide "which is sweeping France." The confinement was extended until April 15.

"This virus is no good thing to take lightly," warns Emma.

© 2020 AFP