Emmanuel Macron, who went to an anti-Covid vaccination center on Monday, March 1, asks to hold "between four and six weeks", in the midst of a debate on strengthening restrictions in 20 departments who fear a new explosion of epidemic.

"We have to hold out for a few more weeks, four to six weeks," said the Head of State without further clarification, on the occasion of a visit to Stains, in Seine-Saint-Denis, to a young man who spoke to him. asked at least to push back the curfew to 7 p.m., compared to 6 p.m. now, "because it's hard". 

Consultations

France, faced with a sustained epidemic recovery, is entering a pivotal week in the fight against Covid-19, as the government tries to avoid generalized containment, relying on vaccination and territorialized measures to contain the epidemic.

Consultations are currently underway between prefects and local elected officials from 20 departments, located in particular in Île-de-France and around large metropolises (Lyon, Marseille, Lille) who fear a new explosion of contamination with the spread of variants.

Local confinements on weekends, as in Nice and Dunkirk, could be ordered at the end of these consultations.

At the same time, the executive is counting on the rise of vaccination, especially among the most vulnerable and caregivers, in order to try to alleviate hospital pressure.

Jean Castex announced that in mid-May, "all people over 50 will have been offered a first injection" against Covid-19.

So far, only nearly 3 million people have received at least one dose, including 1.561 million two doses.

After Stains, Emmanuel Macron was to go to a vaccination center in Bobigny, near Paris, dedicated to the most precarious seniors, two months after the start of the vaccination campaign.

On Monday, several organizations of entertainment professionals (theater, music, cinemas, etc.) called on the State to "change method" to "deconfinate culture", while the deputy mayor of Paris David Belliard pleaded to "open up cultural places".

"Vaccination passport"

The Head of State is also due to hold a meeting this week with members of the government to prepare for the establishment of a "health pass", which will not be a "vaccination passport", with a view to the reopening of cultural places and restaurants closed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the European level, where the idea of ​​a vaccination pass must be debated, France managed on Sunday to keep its border with Germany open, but a negative test of less than 48 hours will now be required without any exception from Tuesday at midnight from the Moselle, a situation which concerns 16,000 French workers.

Additional restrictions in Paris and its region? 

Too slow ?

The first effects of vaccination on hospital pressure and deaths are expected within a month, experts say.

Until then, possible new restrictions in Paris and Île-de-France will be at the heart of meetings scheduled for Monday.

The city hall of the capital had sown the disorder, Friday, by calling for a confinement of three weeks, before turning back.

"Do not refrain from local measures"

"A decision like this cannot be announced without consultation with the departments of the small crown and the greater crown," said Monday the number one of La République en Marche, Stanislas Guerini, on Public Senate.

Among the measures proposed, both town halls and regions are calling for greater use of teleworking. 

The number two of the RN, Jordan Bardella, candidate head of the regional list in Île-de-France, for his part estimated Monday on RTL that "in areas of tension, we must not refrain from local measures".

Sunday, in Paris, the 3,600 police and gendarmes deployed tried to regulate the massive influx on the quays of the Seine.

In Toulouse, the prefecture has prohibited access to the banks of the Garonne.

Fears of an out of control circulation of the virus is also reinforced by the start of the school year in zone C on Monday, which includes in particular the academies of Paris, Toulouse and Bordeaux.

Nearly 3,500 people with the coronavirus were treated on Sunday in intensive care units, an indicator in slow progression, as well as the number of cases, which rose from 140,000 to 150,000 in one week.

With AFP

The summary of the week

France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application

google-play-badge_FR