Coronavirus, France towards a new total lockdown

PARIS – France is heading towards a new total blockade, although it is different from last spring. Given the rapid worsening of the epidemic curve, especially in recent days with an average of 50 thousand new infections daily, Emmanuel macron is evaluating the different options put on the table by the scientific committee. The privileged hypothesis is total closure, however, leaving schools open (at least elementary and secondary schools) and essential services (perhaps with a larger list of activities than last March). This is the blockade that Ireland decided a few days ago.

There is a second, less severe option proposed by the scientific committee, namely a total closure on the weekend and an early curfew at 7pm on weekdays. Currently, the curfew is in effect from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. It was activated on October 17, first in nine cities, including Paris, then expanded last Saturday to 54 departments (46 million out of 66 million French in total). But so far, the nightly lockdown has not slowed down the virus. In fact, the scientific committee today gave an alarming estimate of 100,000 real new infections per day.

The government of Paris had already started the night closing of bars, restaurants and gyms in early October, with no effect on the health emergency. Some epidemiologists admit they are surprised by a second wave that now seems uncontrollable, with a curve that has exploded suddenly in the last fortnight. According to some experts, one of the hypotheses is the drop in temperatures.

Macron has canceled all his commitments for the next few hours. Tomorrow he will meet with a defense council at the Elysee. The first Minister Jean castex in the afternoon the leaders of political parties and unions are seen.

On Wednesday there will be another defense council at the Elysee that will have to launch another closure. The French president has long tried to avoid a total lockdown, defending the idea of ​​trying to “live with the virus.”

But the strength of the second wave of the epidemic, which some say could be even worse than the first, has forced a rethink at the top of the state. The scientific committee has also proposed to the government the option of local confinements or only for the most fragile subjects (the elderly and chronically ill) but several government ministers have expressed doubts about the possibility of organizing and enforcing them.