Paris (AFP)

Faced with a still "serious" health situation because of the Covid-19, the government decided on Wednesday to postpone the start of the school year in the West Indies and in the "red" zone of Guyana to September 13.

In Martinique, the prefect also extended until September 19 the confinement and curfew in force since July 30.

"We are also very vigilant about the situation in Guyana, where the incidence rate which exceeds 400 has increased by 40% in one week", noted Gabriel Attal.

He insisted on "national solidarity" with the sending of "hundreds of caregivers in reinforcement on the spot to organize evacuations and to guarantee the supply of oxygen".

Gabriel Attal added that the state of health emergency would be extended "until November 15 in the West Indies, Guyana and French Polynesia", with a bill presented "next week".

"We are satisfied to have been heard" on the postponement of the start of the new school year, Valérie Vertale Loriot, academic co-secretary of Snes Martinique, told AFP, however asking for "details on the organization".

Serge Letchimy, president of the executive council of Martinique, decided last week to postpone the re-entry of community officials assigned to colleges and high schools, which was scheduled for August 23.

This territory has been particularly affected by the covid for several weeks to the point that the emergencies of the Fort-de-France hospital have turned into "horror", assured an emergency physician to AFP.

Martinique has recorded 405 hospital deaths due to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, including 162 between August 9 and 22.

Guadeloupe is also hard hit by covid with an incidence rate of 1,822 cases per 100,000 inhabitants observed on August 20.

A caregiver takes care of a patient with Covid-19 in the intensive care unit of the Abymes hospital, August 6, 2021 in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe Cedrick Isham CALVADOS AFP / Archives

- "Vaccinobus" -

On the economic front, Philippe Jock, president of the Martinique Chamber of Commerce and Industry, hoped that "the accompanying measures to deal with the crisis will be quickly reactivated and adapted".

For example, "we have no visibility for the month of September since the aid is available when the administrative closures are longer than 21 days".

Sign of the difficulties, Patrick Fabre, CEO of Karibéa hotels based in Guadeloupe and Martinique, deplored a partial drop in activity of 9%.

Martinique regional president Serge Letchimy and Guadeloupe Ary Chalus also wrote to the Prime Minister to ask for greater flexibility on access to aid in order to counter the "heavy economic consequences".

On education, the deputy of Guadeloupe Hélène Vainqueur-Christophe and the senators of Guadeloupe Victoire Jasmin and Victorin Lurel asked, beyond the postponement of the start of the school year, to "anticipate a coordinated, secure and effective resumption of teaching ", in a letter addressed to Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer.

Concerned in particular about the risks of "dropping out of school", they requested "material and digital resources" to "ensure educational continuity".

Apart from the restrictions, the authorities are counting on the progression of vaccination, after a slow start due to the mistrust of part of the population and the difficulty of access to centers in certain areas.

A "vaccinobus" began to crisscross Martinique on Tuesday.

A vaccination center against Covid-19 installed at the Palais des Sports in Lamentin, August 13, 2021 in Martinique Lionel CHAMOISEAU AFP

Only 22.51% of inhabitants aged 12 and over have completed their vaccination course there.

The 100,000th person is expected to be vaccinated on Wednesday.

The health context is less burdensome in mainland France but a peak in hospitalizations is expected within "a few days", warned the Minister of Health Olivier Véran.

The number of hospitalizations of patients with Covid climbed to 11,066 with the arrival of 1,145 patients between Monday and Tuesday.

© 2021 AFP