Nouvelle Aquitaine has some of the lowest infection rates in France so I’d be pretty pissed off if the overall rate rises again and the deconfinement is postponed.
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There was mention of having green (presumably good) and red departments. So hopefully you’ll be in the good category, which is where we would hope to be too.
But would that mean the Charente Maritime could be ‘unlocked’ and say the Paris area remain locked down, I don’t think that was made clear.
Even now your getting people from the Paris region driving down the smaller roads to the Charente, in my village I see people who are not normally here who have just turned up over the last 2 weeks.
Someone earlier said this doesn’t really do any harm but you only need one person not showing symptoms and you can soon have a lot of people infected. Some shops are really good at the distancing but others leclerc around here just let everyone in so I go to the smaller more expensive shops but which are virtually deserted especially the last hour before they close.
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It’s now becoming clearer, following the PMs statement yesterday. However, he stressed that even the 11th May is tentative, in that if the figures suddenly go in the other direction anything can be changed. And even what he did say obviously doesn’t include international travel for which the French govt isn’t only responsible. Remember the ferries for example are closed to all car and foot passengers. And Boris is threatening 15 days isolation for anyone (Brit or not) entering the UK. Everything depends on the figures. If they start to turn round the wrong way, everything changes.
But here are the main points from the PM’s speech (which I listened to on TV) :
1 The virus will be with us for a while. Vaccine 12/24 months away. Can’t organise closely around such dates.
2. Hospitals coped very well but they’re exhausted.
3. But change has to be gradual. However not everyone, everywhere affected. Some places like Paris and the East heavily infected others barely at all. (I understand from Cahors hospital, two weeks ago, they said they’d had six caases, 1 had died, 4 had gone back home and 1 was still there!)
4 So this area factor needs to be taken into account. So mayors can take part in decisions. So he’s meeting Prefects and Unions from today.
5. Some people never show symptoms. Emphasised again physical distance and hand washing. They now have 100 million masks a week.
6. The 11th May is based on 3000 new cases perday. If this is not borne out it will be moved or modified.
11. 700,000 tests a week which will be 100 paid for by the Health service.
12. Existing mask stocks will still be reserved for professional use by doctors, hospital staff, chemists and care home staff. And College students ( see later) .
13. Chemists are now encouraged to stock both professional and personal (street) masks commercially.
14. Because of the regional differences, results will be published from tomorrow by department in order to make it easier for local officials to plan.
15. Schools: progressive reopening from 11th. From 18/05 collèges in depts not badly affected.Then others from beginning June.
16. There will be strong sanitary conditions in Education. For young children masks noit a priority but for Secondary, yes. And the state will provide if they can’t. Lycées will be considered at the end of May.
17. Everyone suspected of being infected or in contact with someone who has will be tested.
18. At least for the next three weeks, continue home working wherever possible.
19. End of May if all goes well, we will legislate for bars and restaurants. Everything apart from bars and restaurants can open from 11th May - unless local mayors say no. Ditto open air markets ( many rural ones have been operating normally anyway). But not in Paris for example. But limit 1 metre per person. And employees to wear masks.
20 Two sorts of decisions regarding transport. Assuming lower demand - those working from home. Rush hour travel only for people going to work. Hopefully the train authorities will make special arrangements concerning personal safety. The govt will support.
21 school buses - everyone must wear a mask from collège age.
22. Social life - Everyone must still reduce contact especially those who are vulnerable and/or who feel lonely. The vulnerable especially must behave intelligently.
23 Sport. Can do sport now individually and not necessarily within 1km of home as before .But no collective sports either as player or spectator, nor in enclosed spaces. No football!
24. Beaches remain closed - at least until June 1st. Unless local authorities allow because of very low frequency.
25. Small museums, local libraries, and museums OK to open from May 11th but no cinemas, big museums, concerts etc. Will be Sept if all goes well. Religious observance can open after June. 20 people max at funerals. Cemeteries open from the 11th. And no demos or gatherings at all involving more than 10 people.
Although these notes were taken in front of the TV as the PM spoke I cannot guarantee either their total accuracy, nor their completeness but they are captured here with the intention that they be useful. At least I didn’t make anything up!
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and anyone who wants to check… can always watch the recording on youtube…
that and the debate which followed … were very interesting, I thought.
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So, the lockdown may have saved 70,000 lives.
However of those 70,000 (about 0.1% of the whole French population), I understand that the vast majority have serious underlying health/age conditions whereby they have not been saved for a ‘long and prosperous life’, but in fact have been saved to live a few more months in whatever capabilities they still have at the moment, or in plain English, they aren’t going to get up and get on with a productive life, instead remain teetering on the edge for a bit longer.
On the other hand, to protect/extend these people appears to be at the cost of educating the young, maintaining the economy, treating people with lesser complaints including surgery and cancer, etc, etc.
Whilst I understand the humanitarian considerations, the bankrupting of the western world in order to save a very limited minority doesn’t sound a sensible policy, especially when said bankrupting will have a long term very detrimental effect on all those remaining alive, including those on extended time.
Tony’s comment makes the assumption that those at most risk of dying from Covid19 are very elderly folk sitting around in rest homes staring into space waiting to die. The truth is of course that the risk of serious illness from Covid increases markedly from middle age. People with diabetes, COPD and a range of complaints across all ages together with large numbers of elderly folk lead active fulfilling and often productive lives.
The question also arises of the impact on health service employees and those in the care centre.
I find this devaluation of life very disturbing.
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It is dangerous thinking - to decide that some human lives are worth less than others.
The logical conclusion of such views is that gas chambers are a good idea.
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Tony… I’m deep in the middle of something else, so forgive me if I have missed/forgotten the link which talks about 70,000 lives.
could you please post the link or screensave andpost the article…
cheers
NB… or remind what I have forgotten… 
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That is appalling!
You are presuming that all those who would have died had not measures been taken are close to the end of their natural lifespan. Just as one example, the list of underlying conditions included things like diabetes. And having diabetes doesn’t stop you being a productive member of society for years to come. Or kidney transplant patients - something that doesn’t have to affect lifespan. But then I suppose if one follows your logic then presumably you would ban all transplants altogether as extending people’s lives is unimportant.
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thanks for that Chris…
I reckon it would be at best rather naive… and at worst deliberately argumentative… to read anything more into those figures… since they cover the population as a whole and not a particular age-group. 
absolute tosh, if I may so.
During the lock down I have had a surgical intervention (pacemaker) fitted which by your standards is quite inappropriate. Not to me it ain’t!
Do you want us to believe that you subscribe to gas chambers or other “blade runner” type solutions to dispose of “spent” carbon lives believed past their usefulness? I very much hope not!
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I can’t quite believe I just read what you have written! How about anyone in a vegetative state or a long-term coma, or very very disabled children with life-limiting conditions etc etc. None of these people are “productive” and are probably costing more than they are worth financially?
Maybe we should just shoot them all and save the cost of their care?
Or maybe we should remember that all life is precious and that everyone has family and friends that love them.
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Unless anyone really thinks this is worth pursuing… I suggest we ignore what is possibly meant to be an inflammatory post …
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Oh just let them die now, best get them out of the way, much better off dead rather than using up valuable resources - if only covid 19 would target other groups you’d rather get rid of, eh. Fancy giving us a list?
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Little point posting these maps as they’re going to change everyday.
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people are looking, every day…
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