At a new press conference a few days before the February holidays, Jean Castex said that the French health situation "does not justify so far" a new confinement.

The Prime Minister also announced "1.7 million" new vaccination appointments between the end of February and the end of March.  

A reconfinement in Mayotte but not in metropolitan France.

While France "is on a ridge line to avoid a reconfinement", Prime Minister Jean Castex has not announced a third confinement for the metropolis, a few minutes after the surprise turn of the screw, Thursday, of at least three weeks for Mayotte.

However, the head of government wanted to prevent any slackening at a new joint health press conference with several ministers.

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Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Thursday, February 4

"The situation does not justify so far" a new confinement

A few days before the February vacation, the Prime Minister assured that "the high figures of the epidemic (20,000 new cases on average over a week, 1,600 hospitalizations and 320 deaths) are relatively stable".

A situation which "does not justify to this day", a new confinement.

However, "if we are forced to do so in the event of a sharp and rapid deterioration in the situation, we would not hesitate to take our responsibilities", warned the head of government.

Thus, "the time is not for relaxation but for maximum respect for the rules", because "it only takes a small number to free themselves from it for the coronavirus to prosper".

And to hammer out: "The objective that we must set ourselves is not to delay this deadline, it is to do everything possible to avoid it", he insisted.

"Teleworking wherever possible becomes imperative"

The Prime Minister is also counting on teleworking, "a very powerful lever that we are not using enough", to limit the epidemic.

However, "since the end of the year, recourse to teleworking has reduced, [...] and there are still too many companies where telework would be possible, but where it does not exist at all or at very low levels ".

A situation which must be remedied: "Teleworking wherever possible becomes imperative", therefore hammering the Prime Minister.

For her part, the Minister of Labor Élisabeth Borne asked that employees who "telework one, two, or three days a week do it one more day", while reaffirming that it is possible for employees who are 100 % telework to come back to their company one day a week.

"But it must remain a valve," she warns, recalling that checks are carried out. 

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1.7 million additional vaccination appointments

On the vaccination front, the government intends to accelerate and offer 1.7 million additional appointments for the first injection in the coming days.

In detail, "500,000 appointments" will be open on Friday for an injection by the end of February, and "1.2 million in March which will be open from the middle of next week".

A measure which should make it possible to achieve "the objective set by the President of the Republic of having offered vaccination to all volunteers over 75 years old, as well as to people under 75 years of age with serious comorbidities ".

In addition, the newly validated vaccine from the American laboratory AstraZeneca "will be assigned to health establishments, to protect health, hospital and city professionals," said the government leader.

"The vaccinations should begin this Saturday."

AstraZeneca serum

"will allow us to accelerate the rhythm of vaccination", assures Jean Castex, who specifies: "thanks to this new vaccine, we will be able to reach the objective of 4 million people having received their first injection by the end of the month from February."