France: one year after the first confinement, the executive and the workers draw up a mixed assessment
Police officers patrol the streets of Montmartre, Paris, March 17, 2020, the first day of national confinement.
AFP - JOEL SAGET
Text by: RFI Follow
8 mins
One year after the first confinement which brought France to a standstill on March 17, 2020, the page of the Covid-19 pandemic has not been turned.
During this first assessment of the health crisis, the executive remembers the logistical headache he had to face.
For second-line workers, such as cashiers, some now feel more valued.
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Masks, tests, vaccines: logistical trials
have followed one another for President Emmanuel Macron
since the start of the Covid-19 epidemic.
Each time, it was first necessary to manage the shortage, with more or less credibility in the communication.
Like when masks were missing and the government spokeswoman said no mask was better than a poorly put on mask.
Ditto for tests, or
vaccines
, for which the launch of campaigns was also considered laborious.
Flaws in decisions
The epidemic revealed blockages and flaws, particularly in the management, supply and implementation of decisions.
In the executive, we concede that everything did not happen spontaneously and that the Head of State himself was able to express “
impatience
”, put “
pressure
” at certain times.
But we insist on the choices made, such as that of vaccinating the elderly in nursing homes as a priority, even if it means taking more time than our European neighbors.
For Emmanuel Macron, the health crisis was an opportunity to test the effectiveness of public action.
And according to an official of the Republic in March, there is no doubt that this will be a theme of the presidential election.
“
Second line
” workers between valorization and return to “
arrogance
”
During the first confinement in France, only essential workers could continue to go to their workplace.
This included the nursing staff, but also those who were called
second-line workers
: like the cashiers and the staff of the food shops.
If some feel revalued, others say that it was only fleeting.
When weeks of containment were in prospect, in March 2020, it meant a rush to stores for many French people.
Behind the counter of the grocery store where he is an employee, Yves remembers the storm: “
We absorbed as best we could at the moment T, because overnight, everyone rushed into the stores. , as if it was a time of war.
Then people realized that there was no point in panicking at that level.
"
Provisions at the beginning, then small simple pleasures.
Marc, a salesman in a cheese factory, did not lack customers: “
For a lot of people, shopping was a breath of fresh air.
We also saw people doing the shopping four times, to go out, go out and go out!
"
The government announced Monday, March 15 the renewal of the tax exemption system for a premium of up to 1,000 euros, or even 2,000 euros in certain companies, in 2021: the "
privileged beneficiaries of this premium
" must be the workers of "
second line
”.
Marc hopes that his boss will give him one like last year: "
We were rewarded for having worked, for not having moaned or said
" no, I am not coming to work, because I am not coming to work. 'have not mask, gel or gloves "
,
etc
.
"
Julien, manager of a food store, is satisfied above all with a revaluation of the profession in terms of image: "
We are considered a little more, customers are less directive, less arrogant perhaps, more understanding!"
"
But in another store, a saleswoman feels that the early "
thanks
" have since been somewhat forgotten.
♦ The first confinement also created love stories
A year after the establishment of the first confinement in France, which lasted nearly two months, many French people speak of a difficult period.
But for others, staying home and not having much to do was the opportunity to meet a soul mate.
Illustration of a love story started in a bell.
"
Hello, are you okay?"
»Launches Cécile after the bell of the Skype application.
“
Yes, yes, I'm fine
,” Etienne replies.
Behind their computer screen, Cécile and Étienne meet, as they do almost every evening.
She studies in Madrid, he works in London.
It's now been a year since they met via an application… and the confinement has something to do with it!
“
It gave us time to get to know each other.
We had no pressure, we talked to each other and there you go, it was very nice,
”explains Cécile.
And gradually, the fact of talking to each other, even calling each other, becomes a bit like a red thread, a daily meeting for the two future lovers.
“
There was still something interesting, I can now say important, that happened during the confinement,
” says Étienne.
After this period, they decide to see each other.
First meeting then… but it's as if they had known each other for years.
“
There wasn't all the embarrassment you have when you go for a drink with a girl: I was quite comfortable,
” continues Étienne.
A year later, they are in a relationship.
And for Cécile, this confinement was beneficial for their relationship: "
There is nothing very normal in everything we do: we talk to each other four months before meeting, we go together for a week while it is was the second time we saw each other, and now we know what it's like to be far away.
It's still easier and that's one of our strengths.
"
And for the first anniversary of confinement and therefore of their history ... Cécile and Etienne have already planned to meet for a weekend.
During the first confinement in France, some were able to meet a soul mate
Stephane Geneste
►
To read also:
Covid-19: a new Breton variant "to follow"
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