The French held their breath. While millions of French people have wondered for a few days about a third confinement, Jean Castex spoke without anyone expecting it. On January 29, 2021, at the end of the Health Defense Council held at the Elysee Palace, the Prime Minister spoke live on BFMTV about the evolution of the current health crisis. An inventory of the most worrying, especially since the arrival of the English and South African variants of the coronavirus on French territory, which concern around 14% of people with. Emmanuel Macron, himself affected by Covid-19, had expressed his concern, even going so far as to provide for the extension of the February vacation. Live on BFMTV, the President's right-hand man shared his expertise.
Three health measures added to the curfew from Sunday
The government of Emmanuel Macron, which does not hide its exhaustion in recent days, took a decision against the current rumors of the hallway: no containment planned for the moment. "In view of the figures of the last few days, we can still give ourselves a chance to avoid it ", he asserted. However, Jean Castex was not reassuring for all that about the coming weeks: “More than 3,000 people are in intensive care. The progression of the so-called English and South African variants poses a high risk of accelerating the epidemic. The question of a re-containment is legitimately raised given these data …", he said all the same.
This is why, from Sunday January 30, 2021, borders will be closed to outside countries to the European Union: "Any entry into France and any exit from our territory to or from a country outside the European Union will be prohibited, unless there is an overriding reason, from Sunday midnight", he declared, specifying that if the health situation remains better controlled in France, it is however "worrying among our neighbors".
Jean Castex also announced the imminent closure of non-food shopping centers of more than 20,000 m², "that is to say those which favor the most mixing of populations", from Sunday January 30, 2021, midnight: "Whatever the cost, pre-guaranteed by the State, solidarity fund, partial unemployment, will of course apply to all employees and companies concerned", said the Prime Minister. Finally, Jean Castex invited all people whose professional activity allows it to increase the use of telework.
Read also : Marseille variant: what we know about this "major mutation" announced by Professor Raoult