The health situation is deteriorating in France. There are currently 19 departments involved in “major curbing measures”. But these restrictions could change, as a new Health Defense Council is held this Wednesday, and that President Emmanuel Macron is to address the people tonight at 8 p.m.
Covid: lockdown extended to France, schools to close, reopenings, Macron's latest statements
Faced with the third Covid-19 epidemic wave, Emmanuel Macron addressed the French this Wednesday March 31, 2021. The French President assessed the worrying evolution of the country's health situation. Therefore, the Head of State has called lockdown extended to the entire mainland country - and no longer to 19 departments only -, along with the closure of schools for three weeks, "systematic" working from home, as well as a detailed vaccination calendar.
What will the President and his government decide, then? So far, three scenarios are considered, and closing schools seems to be the likeliest option.
Closed schools: Macron confirms nursery and elementary schools reopen on April 26
Faced with the third wave, this past March 31, the French President has announced all schools must close, namely nursery and elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools, in France, starting Friday April 2, 2021 at the end of the day and for three weeks. On Apirl 6, President Macron confirmed nursery and elementary schools will reopen on April 26, as expected.
As for the Conseil national de l’Ordre des Médecins – or French Medical Association – they have been claiming for “real lockdown everywhere it is needed” in an open letter sent this Monday to Emmanuel Macron, and issued by Libération. “While we are waiting to be massively vaccinated, anywhere the situation is serious, we must go into lockdown”, Conseil de l’Ordre (Cnom) chairman Patrick Bouet explains.
“Each and everyone has to give priority to health and take this new order into account: the virus is winning”, he adds, thinking that “for many of those who are on the frontlines against Covid-19, it seems we have lost control over the epidemic”.
