It was a much anticipated press conference. Friday January 29, 2021, Jean Castex finally spoke live from the Elysee to announce the new health measures in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. And, while many French people had prepared for the imposition of a new and third lockdown, against all odds, the government decided to "give yourself a chance to avoid it ". If he did not deny his concern about the upsurge in coronavirus cases in France, the Prime Minister wanted to be reassuring to the population. "In view of the figures of the last few days, we can still give ourselves a chance to avoid it " he asserted.
But strict measures have still been taken. So, "all entry into France and any exit from our territory to or from a country outside the European Union will be prohibited, unless there is a compelling reason, from midnight Sunday", said the husband of Sandra Ribelaygue. Non-food shopping centers of more than 20,000 m2 will also have to close their doors as of Sunday, January 31, 2021. Restrictions which no doubt remind us recent periods of confinement. However, Emmanuel Macron still allows himself some time to reflect before doing like his European colleagues and imposing a period of isolation on citizens.
Emmanuel Macron on the reserve
Contrary to recent rumors, Emmanuel Macron seems to have decided to ease off in the face of the health crisis. In any case, this is what a source close to the government said to the Parisian Friday 29 January 2021: "The president tries to hold back decisions as much as possible to give the country oxygen, he does not want to give in to panic and even less to injunctions", she confided. To do this, the head of state, marked by the images of the anti-curfew riots in the Netherlands, decided to take extra time to "to know if we reconfine or not". A difficult decision, but essential according to a senior leader: "Taking field after hitting two confinements, that's called wisdom", he assured, always at Parisian. Now it only remains to wait and see if these new rules will be used to reduce the rate of transmission of the virus in France. In which case, it could be that the government will soon be more severe …
Read also : Third "very tight" confinement: what does that mean?