Covid-19 in France: "the virus is progressing", notes Castex, 21 departments in the red zone

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Prime Minister Jean Castex said Thursday that the government wanted to "do everything" to avoid "generalized re-containment" in the face of the resurgence of the coronavirus epidemic, saying that this objective was "within our collective reach". Nineteen new departments are placed in the red zone (active circulation of the virus), in addition to Paris and Bouches-du-Rhône.

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The government notes an "  indisputable recrudescence of the epidemic  " which "  progresses on the whole territory  " with "  39 positive cases per 100,000, four times more than a month ago  ", declared Jean Castex during a conference of press this Thursday.

"  The epidemic is regaining ground, and it is now that we must intervene, " insisted the Prime Minister. The virus's reproduction rate is above 1, which means the virus is gaining ground. We were down to 0.7 in May. We went back to 1.4 . Positivity increases for all age groups . The number of hospitalizations is slowly but surely starting to rise. More than 800 Covid patients are admitted to hospital per week right now, up from 500 6 weeks ago.  "

Faced with this situation, "  our objective is to do everything to avoid an especially generalized re-containment  ", as in the spring, said the Prime Minister. The government has placed 19 new departments in the red zone, with active circulation of the virus, in addition to Paris and Bouches-du-Rhône.

Mask compulsory in all of Paris outside

As for wearing a mask, it will be compulsory "  for everyone  " when entering higher education in the face of the resumption of the coronavirus epidemic. "  The rule is simple: wearing a mask is now compulsory in all closed spaces where several people are located  ", added the head of government.

Affirming that every day 700 verbalizations are drawn up throughout the country for non-compliance with the obligation to wear a mask, Jean Castex considered that it was also "  urgent to act in terms of wearing a mask  " to Paris and its inner suburbs, noting that the coronavirus is circulating there "  actively  ". "  I asked the police chief to initiate a consultation with the mayor of Paris and with the elected officials of the departments of the small crown where it seems to me urgent to act as regards the wearing of the mask  ", specified the Prime Minister . After consultation with Anne Hidalgo, the prefect will thus extend the wearing of the mask to the whole of the capital outside.

The distribution of masks to the most vulnerable will continue

If he once again ruled out on Thursday the generalization of free masks, Jean Castex said that the government would continue to provide them to those who are in the most precarious situations and to the most vulnerable.

While the government has already provided 50 million masks to three million low-income families in precarious situations, or around nine million French people, “  we have decided to repeat this operation in October and as often as necessary until the end of the day. end of the epidemic,  ”announced the Prime Minister. People at increased risk due to their state of health can also be prescribed masks by their doctor, he recalled.

Goal: 1 million tests per week

The government wants to "  rise in the short term to one million tests per week  " to curb the Covid-19 epidemic in France, against more than 800,000 currently, said Minister of Health Olivier Véran.

The aim is to "  make the tests available to all who need it and all who want it,  " he said, while waiting times are often long, despite a markedly increased capacity in recent months.

Learn from the health crisis

In the face of the virus, the “  first weapon  ” remains prevention, insisted Jean Castex. “  Let's prevent grandpa and grandma from picking up the children from school.  "The Prime Minister also encouraged the French to"  avoid family celebrations as much as possible  "and to"  respect barrier gestures even when we are with family at home  . "

Jean Castex assured that the government would learn lessons from the Covid-19 health crisis. He mentioned in particular the measures to support the remuneration of caregivers taken as part of the “  Ségur de la Santé  ” at the beginning of the summer and recalled that the recovery plan would aim at greater sovereignty and more ecological. The government is also ready to extend the measures taken in the spring to protect the poorest.

► To read also: France: Jean Castex calls "to the responsibility" on the wearing of the mask

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