FRENCH PM PHILLPPE UNVEILS HIS PLAN LIFT LOCKDOWN OF MAY 11 AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

USPA NEWS - The French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, For an hour, detailed the government's plan to gradually lift the confinement from May 11, in particular for schoolchildren and businesses, as well as the "resumption of social and cultural life". This presentation of the plan follows the press conference on Saturday April 18. This ending of lockdown, will be very gradual, and differentiated according to the departments more or less affected. It will be accompanied by a screening policy for people showing symptoms of the virus, with 700,000 virological tests per week, starting on May 11. The Prime Minister nevertheless warned that this date could be would be questioned if the indicators on the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic are not good. The Political opposition (Les Republicans), and LFI (La France Insoumise) rebels as their Members of parlance expressed their disappointment, and insatisfaction.

MEASURES OF THE GOVERNMENT LOCKDOWN ENDING PLAN--------------------------------------------------------------- The French, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe spoke on Tuesday at 3 p.m. in the Assembly Chamber in Paris to present the plan drawn up by the government to organize the lifting of containment, which was implemented on March 17 , to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the announcement of the state of health emergency, on March 23. We must "act gradually, adapt locally" deconfinement, thus introduced, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who spoke for an hour and announced: "So this is the moment when we must tell France how our life is going resume “. Here is the summary of the announcements made by the head of government, Edouard Philippe in front of the only seventy-five deputies present in the hemicycle of the Palais Bourbon, The opposition reacted immediately, with an announcement not to vote for this plan, as well the part of Eric Ciotti Depute of the Alpes Maritimes of LR, and Aurélien Prade Depute of Lot (Les Républicains) and Jean Luc Melenchon (President of LFI) criticizing the Prime Minister essentially, the “lack of masks“, “The lack of preparation of schools to reintegrate schoolchildren, schoolchildren ", inconsistencies and contradictions, which broke trust in the government as it managed the health crisis of COVID-19

THE DATE OF MAY 11 ENDING THE LOCKDOWN IS SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS------------------------------------------- The Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe first stressed that the containment established on March 17 had been fruitful, initiating a decline in the COVID-19 epidemic, and making it possible to avoid 60,000 deaths in France, according to a study ( while 23,293 people died from COVID-19 on April 27, according to the government). Edouard Philippe added that "A prolonged confinement beyond the necessary would have serious consequences for the Nation", economic and social, he warned, referring to "the risk of the collapse" of the country. But "the risk of a second wave is a serious risk, it requires proceeding with caution, gradually, surely". He also questioned the date of May 11, warning that "if the indicators are not there, we will not deconfinate". As for the “elders“ (elederly), the Prime Minister advises them to remain confined, but “there will be no control, no exit certificate for the oldest among us“. LIFTING THE LOCKDOWN WILL BE GEOGRAPHICALLY DIFFERENTIATED ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENTS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Prime Minister specified that the deconfinement (Ending the Lockdown)will be differentiated between the "green" departments, where it will be applied widely, and "red", where it will take a more strict form. For this, three criteria will be studied on May 7 to determine in which department "the circulation of the virus remains active", "hospital capacities in intensive care remain tense" and "the local system of tests and detection of contact cases may not be sufficiently ready, "said the Prime Minister.

THE MASK WILL BE MANDATORY IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND TAXIS Prime Minister Edouard Philippe explained that from May 11, there will be "enough in the country to meet the needs". But this will not be compulsory, except in public transport and at college. "Gradually, we will arrive at a classic situation, where the French will be able, without risk of shortage, to obtain masks for the general public in all shops". Edouard Philippe then invited companies "to ensure that their employees are equipped" and individuals "to make masks themselves". It is "preferable" in "many circumstances" to "wear a mask". PROTECT TESTING THEN INSOLATION THANKS TO NEW BRIGADES 700,000 tests per week Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announces that He has fixed the need for 700,000 virological tests per week, starting on May 11. Then explain that these 700,000 figures were calculated because they are based on the hypotheses of scientists counting on 3,000 people contaminated every day. This calculated initiative is based on a "Protect, test, isolate" process, in order to detect cases of COVID-19. PM, Edouard Philippe plans to have people with symptoms tested massively and set up "brigades" in each department to identify their contacts. Positive people will be asked to isolate themselves in their homes, which will confine the entire home for 14 days, or in a place made available, including requisitioned hotels. All this is necessary "to avoid disaster" RETURN OF STUDENTS TO SCHOOL BASED ON VOLUNTEERING------------------------------------------------------------- The Prime Minister presented the timetable for the reopening of schools, knowing that small children will be able to return to nursery or primary school as of May 11, on a voluntary basis and within the limit of 15 students per class. On the other hand, the colleges will not be reopened until May 18, and only in departments little affected by the epidemic, starting with the 6th and 5th grades. "We will decide at the end of May if we can reopen the lycées, starting with the professional lycées, at the beginning of June", he declared, while the pupils passing a general, technological and professional bac will be evaluated this year only via the control continued. As for the wearing of the mask, it will be prohibited in kindergarten, and for children under 3 years old, "not recommended" in primary school, but compulsory in middle school.The nursings will also reopen from May 11, up to a maximum of ten children per space and with the wearing of a mandatory mask for professionals in early childhood.

THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY BY PREFERRING THE HOME OFFICE------------------------------------------------------------ Edouard Philippe asked companies "insistently" to maintain telework as much as possible. "No one is unaware of the constraints, but this must continue to limit the use of public transport and to limit contacts more generally." CAFES AND RESTAURANTS CANNOT BE OPEN ON MAY 11---------------------------------------------------------------------- All shops, except cafes and restaurants, will be able to reopen as of May 11 but with health protection measures, in particular the wearing of a mask, recommended for staff and customers if distancing is impossible. However, the prefects will be able to keep shopping centers over 40,000 m2 closed. For cafes and restaurants, the government will rule "late May" to decide whether to reopen after June 2, the Prime Minister announced. In addition, a merchant may prohibit persons not wearing a mask from entering their premises. CULTURAL AND SPORTS AREAS WILL ALWAYS BE CLOSED AFTER MAY 11----------------------------------------------- Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said that neither major museums, cinemas, concert halls and theaters will re-open after May 11, unlike media libraries, libraries and small museums that may reopen. Ditto for sports venues, "the 2019-2020 season of professional sports, including that of football, will not be able to resume." he explained.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OF RATP (METRO & BUS) IN ILE DE FRANCE WILL BE 70% AVAILABLE--------------- To limit contamination in public transport, the government wants to reduce their capacity. “This means, for example, that the capacity of the Paris metro will be (“¦) drastically reduced compared to its normal capacity. That it will be necessary (...) to condemn one seat out of two, to favor, by markings on the ground, the good distribution on the quays, to prepare to limit the flows in case of crowds, "said the Prime Minister. As of May 11, "70% of the RATP offer will be available," said Edouard Philippe, calling on the French who can telecommute, or spread their schedules, to avoid taking public transport, in addition to the hours of point. Wearing a mask will be compulsory.In addition, interdepartmental or interregional travel will be reduced "solely to compelling professional or family reasons, for obvious reasons of limiting the circulation of the virus". "We will continue to reduce the offer, to require a compulsory reservation on all trains - TGV or not -, to discourage travel between departments", he said, specifying in particular that the French will not have to leave their department at the Ascension Bank Holdiday. You can move from May 11 without certificate, except "for trips more than 100 km from home, which will only be possible for a compelling reason, family or professional". GATHERINGS OF MORE THAN 5000 PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS BE PROHIBITED---------------------------------------------- All "events that bring together more than 5,000 participants" cannot "be held before September". This measure relates to “major sporting and cultural events, in particular festivals, major trade fairs, all events which bring together more than 5,000 participants and are therefore the subject of a declaration at the prefecture and must be organized for a long time "advance", detailed the Prime Minister. "Meetings organized on public roads or in private places will be limited to 10 people," he added. City halls are invited to postpone weddings, and religious ceremonies are limited to 20 people. As for the beaches, they will remain "inaccessible to the public at least until 1st of June ", while the parks and gardens "will only be able to open in the departments where the virus is not actively circulating ».acknowledged the Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe. THE STOP COVID TRACING APPLICATION IS TO BE DEBATED LATER------------------------------------------------------- After this first phase of lockdown ending on May 11, a new stage will open on June 2 for three weeks, with new measures which will depend on the level of the epidemic. It is also during this period that we will know when and how cafes and restaurants will be opened.On the sensitive StopCovid mobile data tracing project, "the debate is premature" but when the application "will work and before it is implemented, we will organize a specific debate, followed by a specific vote", announced Edouard Philippe.