Macron says France has scored its 'first triumph' against virus
President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that France had marked its primary victory in the fight the coronavirus pandemic, closing much of its lockdown but adding that he'd "pull the lessons" from an emergency that has killed nearly 30,000 people in the country.
"The fight the epidemic isn't finished but I am happy relating to this first victory against the virus," Macron said in an address to the country, his 4th since COVID-19 cases began surging in March.
He said most of mainland France, including Paris, would go into a "green area" of a lesser state of alert beginning Mon, meaning cafes and restaurants in the French capital could start in full and not simply on terraces.
The announcement is a relief for restaurants in the French capital and its suburbs, after officials signalled the other day that their reopening may not come before June 22.
Only the abroad territories of Mayotte and French Guiana will stay at the "orange" alert level, with high amounts of cases even now posing a threat to strained hospital systems.
Macron also said that French schools, except superior academic institutions, would fully reopen from June 22, a approach which will allow more father and mother to return to work and give students at least a good couple of days with their teachers prior to the summer break.
Family visits may also be allowed from Mon at retirement homes, which have been hit especially hard simply by the COVID-19 outbreak that has killed a lot more than 29,000 persons in France, although number of new attacks has slowed markedly in recent days and nights.
"When tomorrow we are in a position to turn the site on this 1st chapter across all our territory," Macron said.
The president also confirmed that the next round of municipal elections at first set for March when the government imposed the lockdown against the virus, would go ahead as planned on June 28.
But mass gatherings will stay "tightly controlled" for the present time, since "they are the primary functions for spreading the virus," he said.
Macron said the federal government had mobilised an "unprecedented" €500 billion in financial aid and relief to prevent layoffs and support major sectors including aviation, automobiles, restaurants and tourism.
"With this kind of epidemic, the global overall economy has arrive to a virtual standstill. Our first priority will be to rebuild an economy that is strong, ecological, sovereign and united," he said.
But the French leader acknowledged that "this challenge has also exposed our shortcomings and weaknesses, our reliance on other continents for several goods, our organisational handicaps, our community and territorial inequalities," he said.
That effort includes "massive investments" to educate and train young persons and ensure they find work, a nod to growing worries that an entire generation of pupils could see their futures jeopardised by the fallout of the crisis.
Macron said that widespread consultations will be completed with civil society found in the coming weeks how better to respond, and that he would again address the French persons in July.
"We need to create new careers by buying our technological, digital, professional and agricultural independence," he said.
However he eliminated new taxes to cover the restoration effort, saying he'd certainly not backtrack on efforts to cut "one of the best fiscal burdens" on its citizens and businesses.
"The only reply is to create a fresh economic model that's good and durable, and to work and make more so that we do not depend on anyone else," he said. - AFP
