Paris (AFP)
The beaches and certain emblematic tourist sites reopened this weekend before the colleges in the "green" zones on Monday: France continues its deconfinement with counted steps, while closely monitoring health and hospital indicators.
Like some French people, delighted to be able to enjoy the great outdoors again, the kitesurfers are back in Leucate, under the watchful eye of around fifteen firefighters responsible for surveillance and prevention.
Sea bathing from Nice to Le Touquet via the Ile de Ré, mountain hiking, forest walks, cycling to Martigues or lazing in the sun on the banks of the Seine in Paris, brighten up the weekends for many French people.
Micha, 5 years old, wipes his hands on the checkered tablecloth spread on the edge of the Saint-Martin canal in Paris, after having engulfed chips and cherry tomatoes. "This is our first picnic. We hardly went out during confinement," said his father Julien, a teacher at the University of Saint-Denis.
Further on, Arthur, a 25-year-old Sciences Po student, attacks volume 2 of the "Count of Monte Cristo": the adventure of Alexandre Dumas was his "confinement companion". Richard, English teacher, locks up a lonely beer and a "sorrow" that he "doesn't want to talk about." Thank you ".
- Spirit of "resistance" -
In Châlons-en-Champagne, around 500 faithful, in some two hundred vehicles, parked one meter apart in the parking lot of the exhibition hall for a mass celebrated by the local bishop.
But this return to "life before" is done under conditions: under the rules in force since last Monday, after two months of confinement, escapades are limited within a radius of 100 km, and in compliance with barrier gestures.
In front of the small war memorial of Dizy-le-Gros (Aisne) where he paid homage to General de Gaulle, 80 years after the Battle of France, Emmanuel Macron alluded to the health crisis, celebrating the spirit of "resistance "and unity.
"De Gaulle tells us that France is strong when (...) stands united, when it seeks the path of cohesion in the name of a certain idea of France, which brings us together beyond the discords then become accessories" , he launched.
After the shops, except restaurant and bars, and the primary and nursery schools, it will be Monday for some of the middle school students to find their way back to school.
Around 150,000 young people in grades 6 and 5 are expected to meet their teachers at the start of the week, but only in the "green" areas established by the government. Either 85% of colleges in France, i.e. 4,000 establishments.
- 25 clusters -
At the national level, France recorded less than 100 deaths (96) in 24 hours, for a balance sheet which reached Saturday 27,625 deaths in total.
The number of patients in intensive care is still declining, with 2,132 serious cases in acute care against more than 7,000 in early April. But more worryingly, hospitals have seen more new patients in the past 24 hours than they did a week ago.
Thirty-four cases of Covid-19 were confirmed on Saturday in a slaughterhouse in Fleury-lès-Aubrais (Loiret), near Orléans and the approximately 400 other employees will be screened by Tuesday.
"Since Monday, we have identified 25 clusters on our territory. The system put in place to test, isolate and break the chains of contamination is operational," said Minister of Health Olivier Véran in the Sunday Journal, adding that "Friday , we were at over 50,000 tests per day. "
New cases, hospitalizations, admissions to shifts, virus reproduction rate ... These key indicators are closely monitored to be able to react in the event of a problematic rebound in the epidemic and a possible "second wave". But scientists agree that no assessment can be made for at least two weeks.
- Municipal in June? -
Expected at the turn by the caregivers, on the front line facing the coronavirus, Olivier Véran recognizes that it is necessary to "work on an increase (in wages), beyond the bonuses", citing the remuneration of the nurses whom he wishes "quickly" go back "at least to the European average".
On May 25, it will organize a "Health Segur" with a "major multilateral meeting of the social partners" with a view to a plan "this summer". An announcement that, however, leaves sector representatives doubtful, fearing yet another plan with no real impact on the salaries of hospital staff.
"We said to ourselves: and three!" reacted Thierry Amouroux, spokesman for the national union of nursing professionals on Europe 1: "There was the big plan Ma santé 2022, the big hospital plan last November announced by the Prime Minister and then there is the Ségur of health ".
Another sensitive subject on the government table: the date of the second round of municipal elections, postponed to March. The decision will first be based on a report from the Scientific Council, expected earlier this week. But already, the hypothesis of holding the 2nd round at the end of June, probably on the 28th, has made its way to the Elysée and Matignon.
© 2020 AFP