Paris (AFP)

The very restrictive measures, like the closure of all schools because of the coronavirus, are "not tenable in the long term", estimated Emmanuel Macron Friday during a visit to a retirement home in Paris.

"We must be able to hold out. If we take measures that are very restrictive, it is not sustainable over time," said the head of state, arguing for "proportionate" measures when the country moves to stage 3. of the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis, that of the epidemic.

"In any case, the epidemic will be there," recalled Mr. Macron during this visit to the accommodation establishment for dependent elderly people (Ehpad) Péan, in the 13th arrondissement, where he spoke with the nursing staff before meet residents over lunch.

"You have seen other countries or regions which have closed everything," said Macron, referring in particular to Italy. But "if we close all the schools, there are many who will no longer be able to come to work", especially among the nursing staff. "And so 15 days or even 8 days later, we will have to say that we are reopening the schools so that the caregivers come to work. People will say: why are you reopening the schools if they had to be closed 15 days ago? And there we create panic, "he added.

The president called for "not to depart from common sense", recalling that "we manage each year flu epidemics which unfortunately make 9 to 10,000 deaths".

At the entry into force of phase 3, "we will prioritize the most fragile audiences", in particular the elderly, said the head of state in this Ehpad which houses 94 residents with an average of 92 years old, the oldest being 107 years old.

The elderly are the most vulnerable to the contamination that affected 423 people and left 7 dead, all over the age of 60, since January in France, according to an assessment made Thursday evening.

"The whole system will be under tension, the hospital but also the city medicine, establishments like yours, and therefore it will be necessary to find for several weeks, with a lot of resilience, operating modes to pass this epidemic", has still said Emmanuel Macron who was accompanied by the Director General of Health Jérôme Salomon and the Secretary of State for Solidarity Christelle Dubos.

© 2020 AFP