The French now have a horizon: that of May 11, the date of the start of a gradual end to the confinement put in place to fight the epidemic of coronavirus. This is in particular made possible by a succession of decreases in hospitalizations and the number of patients in intensive care. But despite these encouraging figures, the executive wants to be firm: the Covid-19 is still just as dangerous.
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"The level of tension must remain the same"
"It is good news that hospitalizations are going down, but the health crisis is still there," insists government spokesman Sibeth Ndiaye. Within the executive, we note that the current strategy is gradually bearing fruit. "We arrived at what we wanted: a curve with a plateau below the capacity of our hospitals," deciphers a minister.
Another confirms it: "It is the success of confinement which explains this situation." But the fear remains strong in the corridors of the Ministry of Health: what if the French were tempted to lower their guard? "The level of tension must remain the same," warns the entourage of Olivier Veran.
CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS
> Can France hope for a more favorable scenario than Italy?
> Are women and people with blood type O more resistant?
> Are certain serious forms linked to a genetic factor?
> How will the distribution of masks take place in France?
> Back to school on May 11: under what conditions?
> How to keep sleep during confinement?
"Watch out for the feeling of recession"
"The fact of having a date, it pushes some to relax," worries indeed a member of cabinet. "Watch out for the feeling of recession," said a minister. And if it is essential to maintain the pressure from the authorities until May 11, it is because "if it starts going up again in early May, we will not be able to deconfinate", warns an adviser.