A laboratory technician carrying out analyzes on tests for the Coronavirus.

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Adrien Max / 20 Minutes

  • Dunkirk is affected by a very active circulation of the British variant of the coronavirus.

  • Local elected officials are asking the prefecture for measures such as closing schools before the holidays.

  • Some mayors have also decided to close certain services or even municipal parks to the public.

Towards an early vacation?

In recent days, it appears that the British variant of the coronavirus has been circulating in a particularly active way on the northern coast.

To date, it is the sectors of Dunkirk and Gravelines which are the most affected according to the latest data published by the Regional Health Agency (ARS).

To try to stem the spread of the variant, many mayors and a deputy asked the prefecture "to adapt the strategy of the authorities".

Local elected officials have also taken measures at their level.

It is still not clear why the English variant of the coronavirus is now prevalent in the cases of people who test positive in the urban community of Dunkirk (CUD).

Asked about this, the regional agency of Public Health France did not respond.

However, the mayors of the 20 communes of the CUD and the deputy for the North, Christian Hutin, called on the prefect of the North on Friday to ask him to "proceed with the immediate closure of schools", in the words of the parliamentarian.

The mayor of Leffrinckoucke takes drastic measures

For Patrice Vergriete, president of the CUD and mayor of Dunkirk, this measure should make it possible to “slow down as much as possible the circulation of the virus within one week of the holidays”.

The termination of classes, if validated by the prefecture, should concern 1st and 2nd degree establishments.

The mayor of Leffrinckoucke, Olivier Ryckebusch, took the lead: "I invite parents as soon as possible to pick up their children for the meridian break and not to enroll them in extracurricular", he said on Friday .

The elected official also decided to close many municipal services such as the library, the music school and even parks to the public.

Without closing the leisure center during the holidays, the mayor invites his constituents to "find as much as possible other childcare solutions" for their children.

Finally, the elected representatives of the urban community of Dunkirk want to boost the vaccination campaign for nursing staff and vulnerable people on their territory.

To the State, they plead that the level of supply of vaccine doses has been increased in sectors affected by the circulation of the variant, such as Abbeville, in the Somme, at the beginning of February.

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