They were three ministers, this Thursday, to present the new measures to fight against the spread of the virus. A few days before the start of the school year, Prime Minister Jean Castex, surrounded by Ministers of Health Olivier Véran and Education Jean-Michel Blanquer, took stock of the evolution of the coronavirus epidemic.
The three ministers spoke for almost an hour and a half. For those who have not followed the press conference, 20 Minutes has concocted a little summary for you.
- Resurgence of the epidemic
The government notes an "indisputable recrudescence of the epidemic" which "progresses on all the territory", with "39 positive cases per 100,000, four times more than a month ago", declared Jean Castex.
"The epidemic is regaining ground, and the time to intervene is now," he insisted. “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 ”, and“ positivity increases for all age groups, ”he said. Regarding the number of hospitalizations, it "begins slowly but surely to go up. More than 800 Covid patients are admitted to hospital per week right now, up from 500 6 weeks ago. "
- Nineteen new departments in the red zone
Faced with the coronavirus epidemic which "is progressing", the government has placed 19 new departments in the red zone, with active circulation of the virus, announced the Prime Minister ".
With Paris and the Bouches-du-Rhône, already under this classification, a total of 21 departments are now in the red zone.
- Total re-containment ruled out
Faced with this situation, "our objective is to do everything to avoid an especially generalized reconfinement", as in the spring, affirmed the head of government for whom this goal is "within our collective reach".
- Wearing a mask is compulsory in all closed spaces
"The rule is simple: wearing a mask is now compulsory in all closed spaces where several people are located", announced the head of government. Regarding the school environment, the wearing of a mask will be compulsory from the start of the school year for middle school and high school students, but also for all teachers, including kindergarten. In Paris, wearing a mask will become compulsory. The Prime Minister said so in response to a question from a journalist after the press conference. He specified that he was in contact with the mayor of Paris to “extend the obligation to wear a mask” in the capital, as well as in the inner suburbs.
Currently, wearing a mask has only been made compulsory in certain areas of Paris. "I asked the prefect of police 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 in the matter of the wearing of the mask", he said said. The head of government also specified that 700 verbalizations had been drawn up across the country for non-compliance with the obligation to wear a mask.
- One million tests per week
The figure was repeated several times during the press conference: nearly 840,000 tests were carried out in one week in France. "This is an unprecedented screening effort in the history of infectious diseases in France", hammered Olivier Véran, adding that France was placed "in the leading pack of countries". "We are in the top 10, we want to go beyond", he added.
The government wants to "rise in the short term to one million tests per week". But the Minister of Health nevertheless acknowledged "difficulties in accessing the test in certain areas of France". “It is possible that in the next few days there will be some traffic jams. If you are not a contact case or you have no symptoms, you may be asked to wait, ”he said.
Paris
Coronavirus: Wearing a mask becomes compulsory throughout Paris
Society
Coronavirus: Jean-Michel Blanquer refines the details of a “special” start, compulsory mask for all teachers
- Olivier Véran
- Jean-Michel Blanquer
- Jean Castex
- epidemic
- Coronavirus
- Society