Jean Castex -

Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP

  • Jean Castex was heard by the Assembly's Commission of Inquiry into the management of the crisis linked to the coronavirus this Tuesday evening.

  • The Prime Minister opened the door to a reopening of small businesses on December 1 if the health situation permitted.

  • “Maybe we have deconfined a little too much” during the first deconfinement, acknowledged the head of government.

He arrived before the National Assembly's commission of inquiry masked, with “humility and concern for efficiency”.

Jean Castex was auditioned this Tuesday evening by the information mission on the impact, management and consequences of the coronavirus epidemic.

Reopening of shops, intensive care beds, deconfinement ... For more than two hours, the Prime Minister answered questions from deputies on the management of the health crisis.

When can small businesses reopen?

"I know their importance in social life so it is extremely difficult to take these measures" of closing small businesses, immediately reminded Jean Castex.

The Prime Minister mentioned the date of December 1 for a possible reopening, while remaining cautious.

"If the epidemiological indicators follow the trend, then by this deadline around December 1, with improved protocols (...) we can effectively consider reopening shops that are not essential," he said.

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said during the day that a decision would be taken "next week" on this issue.

Restriction measures "will continue" after confinement

More generally, Jean Castex warned that the future deconfinement would be done gradually.

"The better the current phase of containment produces its effects, the faster we can move on to a next phase, but which will not be a return to

ante

containment", said the Prime Minister.

"That is to say that there will be braking provisions that will last", referring in particular to establishments open to the public.

"The idea is that we manage more in the long term", he added, pleading for "to avoid the

stop and go

 ", that is to say the alternation of periods of confinement and deconfinement.

This new phase, continued Jean Castex, will be marked by an increase in “the testing policy, which will be made possible by the arrival of the new generation of antigenic tests”.

"Maybe indeed we deconfined a little too early"

The former Mr. deconfinement of the government made a start of

mea culpa

on the release from quarantine last summer.

“Maybe we have deconfined a little too much indeed.

Perhaps also that the French people believed that this epidemic was behind us, and that the barrier gestures were not respected with enough zeal ”.

"Maybe indeed that we deconfined a little too much. Maybe also that the French people believed that this epidemic was behind us, and that the barrier gestures were not respected with enough zeal", declares @JeanCASTEX .

# COVID19 #DirectAN pic.twitter.com/Ml5L1szvEw

- LCP (@LCP) November 17, 2020

However, he brushed aside criticism of the government's unpreparedness in the face of the epidemic's new rise.

“The idea that a second wave could occur was known to everyone and the risk of a re-confinement, in which we find ourselves, was foreseen, anticipated [...] When I was in charge of deconfinement, I indicated that this situation could occur ”, he indicated.

The Prime Minister was careful to recall that "scientific speeches have never been particularly unanimous and convergent [and] do not necessarily enlighten the public authorities" on the evolution of the epidemic.

Review of resuscitation capacity

This is one of the polemics that have stirred the political debate since March.

The head of government took stock of the capacities of intensive care beds.

"When this crisis occurs in our country, there are 5,000 resuscitation beds in France armed and installed," he said.

“We were ready for 10,000 resuscitation beds for the first wave, you know we haven't reached them.

We are once again ready for 10,000 for this wave and of course I hope that we will not reach them.

"

But the head of government also spoke of the difficulties associated with this adaptation, especially concerning staff.

“There was never any question, in a month, two or six, of increasing the number of specialized nurses or intensive care anesthetists.

No country has done it, it's impossible ”.

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  • Coronavirus

  • Covid 19

  • Prime Minister

  • National Assembly

  • Jean Castex