Why is containment less well respected than in March?

A police check during confinement in Paris.

-

• The re-containment in effect since October 31 seems less well respected than that of March.

• An Ifop study unveiled this Thursday also shows that a majority of French people (60%) have already transgressed the traffic rules for reconfinement. 

A simple look in the streets of big cities is enough to get an idea: two weeks after the entry into force of the containment, there are many more walkers, cars, cyclists than during the first containment.

Admittedly, this time the schools, certain administrations and more businesses remained open.

But it would also seem that confinement is less well respected, as shown by an Ifop * study published this Thursday.

According to it, a week after the entry into force of confinement, 60% of French people already admitted to having already transgressed the traffic rules.

This is twice as much as what Ifop observed during the first confinement after 6 weeks (33%).

This could lead the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, to announce a tightening of the rules in order to slow down the second wave of Covid-19, during his press conference this Thursday.

This will take place after a Defense Council at the Elysee Palace dedicated to Covid-19.

Especially since the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, sent a note to the prefects asking them to “strengthen” containment controls, we learned on Tuesday.

"This lesser perception of the usefulness of confinement leads to behavioral differences"

A multifactorial rule violation.

First of all due to the very nature of this confinement, the rules of which are less strict than the previous one, as explained by François Kraus, director of the political pole at Ifop: “Schools are open, parks are accessible, the list of essential shops is wider… This pushes the French to go out of their homes and sometimes using an authorized reason for leaving to do two things at the same time.

Especially since it is in Latin culture to come to terms with certain rules ”.

The communication which surrounded this reconfinement also played a big role, according to Florence Sordes, lecturer in health psychology at the University of Toulouse 2: “This reconfinement being more flexible, the announcement effect was less strong. on opinion.

In addition, many French people had the impression of a chaotic government communication on the management of covid-19 with urgent measures.

Some have also found it paradoxical that this reconfinement is announced while at the same time, certain transportations are crowded, as well as the dining halls in schools ... This lesser perception of the usefulness of confinement leads to behavioral differences.

Because in order to be able to accept such a measure, it is necessary to find meaning in it ”.

The obligation to telework not always respected

And even if teleworking must be generalized since October 29, it is clear that the instructions are not always well respected.

According to the Ifop study, less than half of employees with a fully teleworkable position work every day from their home: 40% alternate between face-to-face and teleworking and 14% work every day in their company.

“Some companies still fear lower productivity of their teleworking employees and ask them to come on site.

But some employees do it without their boss asking for it, because they want to maintain a team dynamic, a working environment, even if it means taking risks for their health.

Not to mention that some of them do not have good conditions for teleworking at home ”, analyzes Florence Sordes.

But how can one explain that the exponential figures of contamination do not dissuade them from leaving their homes?

“Some people experienced the first wave of the coronavirus without catching it.

They feel invulnerable in the face of him.

This is even more true in regions that were little affected at the start of the epidemic, ”observes Florence Sordes.

"And young people feel they are less at risk, even if some of them develop serious forms of Covid-19", adds François Kraus.

"This non-compliance with confinement leads to conflicts in families"

If travel restrictions are also less well respected, it is also for psychological reasons.

According to the Ifop study, since the re-containment, the French feel more strongly than usual a feeling of sadness (52%), in particular women (60%), young people (56%) and people confined alone (54%).

“The French have the feeling of an endless health crisis.

They are also beginning to perceive the effects of the economic crisis and the security tensions are also intensifying their pessimism.

Without forgetting the seasonal depressions which appear from November, due to the drop in light.

It is difficult for them in these conditions to do without their relatives, which explains some of their outings with friends or family, ”notes François Kraus.

Especially since according to Ifop, 4 out of 10 French people will face this second confinement alone at home.

“During the first confinement, many people were disappointed with their virtual social relations and felt real loneliness, which some refuse to experience again,” adds Florence Sordes.

Finally, the fear of the gendarme also seems less strong in this confinement.

Knowing that since its entry into force on October 29 at midnight, 65,000 verbalizations have already taken place, including 20,000 in the eight departments of Ile-de-France.

And that the controls will intensify in the coming days.

In addition to the risk of contracting the virus, of transmitting it to their relatives, of being fined, those who break the rules of confinement run another: "This non-compliance with confinement leads to conflicts in families, because those who sacrifice part of their freedom by seeing others refuse the constraints endures it very badly, ”emphasizes Florence Sordes.

One more reason to respect the rules more, even if they are difficult.

Health

Coronavirus: While waiting for the effects of containment, the toll continues to rise

Society

Containment: Covid-19, a nightmare for hypochondriacs

* Ifop study for Consolab carried out by self-administered online questionnaire from November 4 to 5, 2020, with a sample of 2,030 people (including a sub-sample of 1,094 employees), representative of the population aged 18 and over residing in France. 

• Confinement

• Covid 19

• Society

• Coronavirus