"We can get some fresh air, yes, but certainly not play a football match": this is how Christophe Castaner summed up his intervention. The Minister of the Interior detailed Monday evening the instructions for containment to fight against the coronavirus, which take effect from Tuesday noon, as announced by the President of the Republic in an address delivered a little earlier.
Europe 1 summarizes these drastic measures that will deeply change the lives of French people for at least the next 15 days.
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Exceptions to containment
Travel will be prohibited from Tuesday (and for at least 15 days), except in a number of situations mentioned by the Minister of the Interior: travel for work if telework is impossible, basic shopping in shops proximity, health reasons, compelling family reason, assistance to vulnerable people, travel between the two homes for separated parents with children, brief trips near the home, solitary physical activity. "Everyone should do it sparingly," said Christophe Castaner.
A sworn statement to circulate
Anyone wishing to leave their home, even to go to work, take out their dog or buy bread, must have a certificate on their honor. The certificate can be downloaded from Tuesday on the website of the Ministry of the Interior and printed, or else be produced on plain paper if you do not have a printer. It must be completed by the French before leaving their home.
Certain professionals, such as journalists, will be able to use their professional card as a certificate.
A fine for non-compliance
All people unable to "justify their trips" will be considered in violation. As such they can face a maximum fine of 38 euros at the moment. This fine will rise to 135 euros in the coming days, the time that the Council of State endorses the decision.
100,000 police and gendarmes mobilized
"A control system will be set up with fixed and mobile control points, on the main and secondary axes," said Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. "100,000 police and gendarmes" will be "deployed on the ground" to enforce containment measures. The minister gave an order "tonight" to the police to prepare the device.
The army will not be mobilized for this control operation: "We are not going to deploy the army on the streets. However, there will be controls by the internal security forces".
"The watchword is clear, stay at home",
"Stay at home" hammered Christophe Castaner several times in his speech. Like Emmanuel Macron, he denounced the non-compliance with the barrier measures decreed by the government.
Regarding the measures taking effect on Tuesday: "These are containment measures along the lines of what our Italian or Spanish neighbors have put in place. What the President of the Republic has described are the most restrictive, now in force in Europe, "said the Minister of the Interior.