- Edouard Philippe and Olivier Véran held a press conference on Saturday afternoon to explain the government's strategy to face the coronavirus epidemic.
- An order for a billion masks and five thousand rapid tests has been announced, as well as the goal of having 14,000 resuscitation beds.
Transparency operation. Saturday late afternoon, Edouard Philippe and Olivier Véran gave a press conference in order to explain the government's strategy in the face of the health crisis linked to the coronavirus.
Before even making announcements, the Prime Minister immediately warned that "the first 15 days of April will be even more difficult than the 15 days that have just passed". This is what should be remembered from the intervention of the Head of Government and his Minister of Health.
A new assessment on containment
Friday, Edouard Philippe announced the extension of the confinement until at least April 15. This Saturday, he stressed that "the fight has only just begun", indicating that a new assessment of the restrictive measures taken will be made at the end of next week. The Prime Minister took the opportunity to declare that he will not let “anyone say that there was a delay in the decision to containment (…) At the time when this decision was made for containment, there were fewer 8,000 cases on the national territory and less than 200 deaths from the disease. Everyone will be able to appreciate the moments when (foreign) governments made this decision. ”
14,000 resuscitation beds expected
This almost triples the capacity. The Minister of Health said that the government wanted to increase the number of intensive care beds to "14 to 14,500", against 5,000 initially, to cope with the influx of patients. “France's initial capacities were 5,000 resuscitation beds. They have been increased (…) to 10,000 beds. From now on, we want to reach a goal of 14,000 to 14,500 resuscitation beds throughout the national territory, "he said.
An order of a billion masks
"More than a billion masks have been ordered from France and abroad for the weeks and months to come," said Olivier Véran. Thus, "a narrow and intensive air bridge between France and China has been set up in order to facilitate the entry of masks into our territory", he added, recalling that France needs 40 million masks per week. France, the minister said, produces eight million masks a week. "Our reserves are not infinite," he said.
"There is another way to meet this important demand (for masks), it is to try to create new products, to use the wealth, the innovation of French companies in terms of textiles and paper, to make sure to create new masks responding to very specific uses, "said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. These masks, he said, are intended for "all those who, not being caregivers, will be able to find with guaranteed masks a good way to equip themselves, to reassure themselves and to protect themselves".
"Twenty-four domestic producers have qualified models that they want to produce, are capable of producing almost half a million masks per day in the coming days, and during the month of April one million masks per day. Some can be reused and will be washable at least five times, ”added Edouard Philippe.
Five million rapid tests ordered
France will go up to speed to carry out tests detecting the coronavirus, with “50,000 conventional tests” per day by the end of April, compared to 12,000 today, to which will be added “more than 100,000” rapid tests per day “ in June, "said the Minister of Health on Saturday:" France has placed an order for five million rapid tests which (…) will increase our screening capacity by around 30,000 additional tests per day in April, 60,000 in May and more than 100,000 tests per day in June ”. The rapid tests "will allow a result to be rendered in a few minutes, 10, 15, 20 and sometimes 30 minutes depending on the tests considered," he said.
Finally, he mentioned the possible arrival "in the coming weeks" of a last type of tests, called "serology". Lighter (a blood test is enough), they do not have the same objective: they aim to detect antibodies to determine afterwards if an individual has been in contact with the virus, and not if he is ill 'instant T.
No treatment "has proven effective"
Regarding treatments, and while Professor Raoult has published a new study, the Minister recalled that France and neighboring countries have "initiated a number of clinical studies, practical research protocols on patients in hospitals to to test several therapeutic molecules carrying hope, in particular hydroxychloroquine, but also antiviral molecules which are known to be effective in other types of infectious diseases ”. But, he noted, "none have proven effective in France and around the world. I deplore it, but that is, alas, a fact ”. Olivier Véran clarified that "13 clinical trial projects are underway, a dozen will obtain very quick approval".
“Individual isolation” in nursing homes
The Minister of Health announced that he was going to ask "Ehpad-type establishments to go towards individual isolation" for each of their residents in order to "go further" in the protection of the elderly. He will also ask to "test in priority for the virus the staff who work within the Ehpad".
To distribute the masks to nursing homes, "we will rely more on the departments and their own distribution networks to be able to route more simply and more quickly" these masks, said the minister.
A recourse by doctors outside the EU in Overseas France
A decree, published next week, will make it possible to use doctors with diplomas outside the European Union to come to the aid of the overseas territories in the fight against the coronavirus, announced Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. The Overseas Territories, less affected for the moment than France, with a total of nearly 550 cases and three deaths, have more fragile health systems, which raise fears of a health disaster in these territories.
The Prime Minister announced that the government would "increase the capacity for resuscitation of hospital services" in these territories. "The West Indies will go from 81 beds in normal times to 169 beds", with "the supply next week of 32 respirators (…). Mayotte, which currently has only 16 beds, will be upgraded to 50 beds and will be provided with seven respirators, "he said. Guyana will go "from 29 to 40 intensive care beds, Reunion from 111 to 161 beds". Finally, the government will "plan the deployment of human reinforcements with the health reserve" in these territories, and "now for the West Indies where Covid-19 is rampant at the epidemic stage". He also promised that in terms of testing, "machines that we have purchased will be sent directly to the Antilles and Reunion".
Our file on the coronavirus
The Prime Minister also recalled that the sending of the two helicopter carriers of the army, in the Antilles / Guyana zone and in the Indian Ocean, was aimed at "welcoming patients, unloading hospitals on site, but also to ensure essential logistics flows ”. Finally, he assured that "national solidarity" would "play fully" also in New Caledonia, Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna, even if health responsibility is the responsibility of these territories.
Health
Coronavirus LIVE: 2,314 deaths in hospital, 319 additional deaths in 24 hours ...
By the Web
Open stores, 1 km radius, food outlets, etc. Interactive maps essential during containment
- Society
- Edouard Philippe
- Covid 19
- Coronavirus
- Olivier Véran
- Containment