Containment: Travel, shops, Christmas, what to remember from Emmanuel Macron's announcements -

20 Minutes

  • Emmanuel Macron spoke on Tuesday at 8 p.m. from the Elysee Palace to announce new perspectives in the fight against the coronavirus epidemic.

  • He specified a schedule in three stages, including deconfinement on December 15, if the health situation allows.

Will it be possible to do Christmas shopping, to go on vacation, to party with the family?

Emmanuel Macron answered the questions the French were asking themselves this Tuesday evening during his televised address.

By specifying three stages, including the lifting of containment, which would potentially take place on December 15.

20 Minutes

comes back what will happen in each area.

Progress in the fight against the epidemic

The President of the Republic announced encouraging results in the fight to slow the circulation of the coronavirus.

"The number of positive cases has fallen sharply," he said, explaining that there were 20,000 cases per day on average last week.

The number of people hospitalized in intensive care rose to 4,300 on Tuesday.

"The peak of the second wave has passed," he said.

By congratulating the French: “Your efforts have paid off”.

He also set a course for the testing policy to be more effective: "At the start of January, no test should take more than 24 hours between its completion and its result," he asked.

The President wishes more firmness vis-à-vis people who are sick and who refuse to stay at home: "I wish that the government and the Parliament lay down the conditions to ensure the isolation of the infected people, including in a more restrictive way ”, declared the Head of State, promising that“ these people will be accompanied on the material, health, psychological level ”.

Stores reopened under certain conditions

Emmanuel Macron wants to allow the French to do their Christmas shopping.

He announced the reopening of so-called "non-essential" businesses, such as bookstores or clothing stores and all the others, which will take place this Saturday morning.

But with a strict sanitary protocol.

And by closing at 9 p.m. at the latest.

Travel more possible ... before a potential for deconfinement

The travel certificate remains in force, but from Saturday, the French will be able to go out three hours a day instead of one and travel within a radius of 20 kilometers instead of one kilometer.

And if on December 15, France records less than 5,000 coronavirus contaminations per day and has less than 2,500 people in intensive care, "the confinement will then be lifted", announced Emmanuel Macron.

But a curfew will be implemented from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Except on December 24 and 31 “where we can move freely,” said the president.

Reasonable and secure New Years Eve

Phew, we can share the turkey and the log with others.

If the head of state has not set a gauge for family reunions, he still asked the French to "limit the number of adults present".

He insisted a lot on the respect of barrier measures at home.

"Let us wear a mask even at home, if relatives and friends are there".

On the other hand, it will not be possible to go skiing at Christmas, but Emmanuel Macron mentioned the possibility of allowing access to winter sports "in January".

Announcements for pupils and students

From Saturday, extracurricular outdoor activities will again be possible.

As for high schools, currently forced to accommodate students in half-groups, they could again offer 100% face-to-face lessons from January 20, if the number of daily infections by Covid-19 in France remains below 5,000, And two weeks later, universities could also reopen their doors to all students.

Places of worship reopened with a gauge

From Saturday, it will be possible to go and pray there, but in a small committee.

Because the government has limited the offices to 30 people.

A date for the reopening of theaters, museums and cinemas

If on December 15, the sanitary situation was arranged under the conditions specified above, these places of culture will be able to reopen under a strict protocol.

Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, amusement parks and gyms always on the lookout

These places will not yet be able to welcome the public.

But if the number of coronavirus cases is less than 5,000 on January 20, "we can make new decisions," said the president, referring to the potential reopening of restaurants and gyms.

However, no date is set for bars and nightclubs.

Aware of this still distant deadline, Emmanuel Macron announced new aid for all these companies.

"Restaurants, bars, sports halls, nightclubs, all establishments which will remain administratively closed will receive, whatever their size, 20% of their turnover for the year 2019 if this option is preferable for them to 10,000 euros from the solidarity fund, ”he said.

A vaccination campaign that is taking shape

"I will not make vaccination compulsory", announced Emmanuel Macron, specifying that fragile people would be the first beneficiaries.

Some vaccines will be available from late December or early January.

And a second generation of vaccines will arrive in the spring.

The president also announced the creation of a scientific committee to monitor the vaccine and a citizen collective.

With the objective of guaranteeing as much transparency as possible.

Health

Coronavirus: How to avoid a third wave (and a third confinement)?

Economy

Coronavirus: Parliament definitively adopts fourth crisis budget

  • Trade

  • Coronavirus

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Christmas

  • Covid 19

  • Society