The French have abandoned the necessary barrier gestures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, worries the president of the scientific council, Jean-François Delfraissy, in interviews with Liberation and AFP, published Thursday, July 9.

Several European countries such as Spain and Portugal have already reconfigured certain regions after detecting foci of contamination.

"In France, things are going well overall, all the markers of Public Health France are positive. For example, we have just passed the deadline of fifteen days after the Fête de la musique, without rebound. All this is encouraging", underlines in Liberation the doctor, who has just been extended at the head of this committee charged with advising the government facing Covid-19 until the fall.

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"At the same time, we are struck by the fact that the French, in general, have abandoned the barrier gestures ... Social distancing measures are less and less applied, except in transport - and the oldest population remains, it , vigilant and careful, "he adds. "I had already mentioned the idea that we would have been a simpler summer, but it is on condition that the measures of social distancing continue and are applied by all of our fellow citizens, he adds to the "AFP. If our fellow citizens continue to deviate from these measures, the risk of a slightly different recovery before the end of the summer is still possible."

"Will this relaxation have consequences?"

"Here is the picture: will this relaxation have consequences?" Questions Jean-François Delfraissy in Liberation, before replying: "We are at the mercy of a rally where there are one or more 'super-contaminators' , which can infect up to 50, 100 people, as was the case in Mulhouse in February. "

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Asked about the possibility of a resumption of the epidemic in the fall, the president of the scientific council considers "logical to expect a return of this coronavirus, from the southern hemisphere to the north", "most likely [being] a return in October or November ". "We are extremely struck by what is happening in the southern hemisphere at the moment, which is in southern winter: the epidemic is flaring up, in South America, in South Africa, in Australia, which has just confine Melbourne while this country was until now extremely protected, "he said.

France registered Wednesday 32 new deaths due to Covid-19 in the space of 24 hours, which brings the assessment of the epidemic to 29 965 dead since March 1, according to the daily point of the General Directorate of Health (DGS).

With AFP and Reuters

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