The Poitevins are not all ready to undergo a third confinement. Although the Executive is still waiting for the end of the two weeks of experimentation to decide, the 6 p.m. curfew doesn’t seem to be paying off. The numbers for the coronavirus epidemic continue to climb. Which suggests that the authorities are going to take more stringent measures. The government is planning announcements for the weekend, and even if the word is not pronounced, most French people expect a third confinement, but not everyone is ready. In Poitou, some inhabitants are tired of making efforts.
Containment, an iniquitous measure
Alicia lives in Poitiers, she works in the field of personal service and she says it, confinement, she is against. Because she no longer believes in it, quite simply.
“We have already tested the containment twice, and it did not work. It lasts two months, the figures improve, we deconfine and presto, we have to start all over again”
This young mother has had enough of “stop-and-go”, of confinement-deconfinement. And then what is “intolerable” for her, it is this iniquity. She doesn’t understand why We close the restaurants where we can eat two at a table while in front of the stores, the queues are getting longer on sales days. Poitevine is afraid for the economy, afraid for her school children, afraid for her job, but for her, confinement is not a solution.
Ready to take to the streets
On the Place du Maréchal Leclerc, at the foot of the Poitiers town hall, a future tattoo artist and a 3rd year psycho student, roommates on the set, drink a take-away coffee, seated on a bench.
The first one has enough of this “dictatorship”, she makes the sign of the quotes with her fingers which penalizes a whole youth. She admires the Nice restaurateur who opened up against and against the prohibitions linked to covid, because she imagines “what it feels like to have to do the quest in front of your own restaurant to collect money and pay your drafts”. A little provocative but not rebellious, the young Pictave, 20-25 years old, says that she will respect confinement but that she does not agree and that if tomorrow, there is a demonstration to push a “rant”, it will be the first to go, because “we can’t take it any longer, we want to live,” she says.
The second looked after children. It was her job as a student to pay for her studies. But with confinement, its bosses, restaurateurs, keep their children themselves. She no longer has an odd job therefore, and her courses, it is at a distance that she follows them. So, a third confinement, no, she does not want it.
“Me, if I have to go out, I will go out”
A little further, a group of five young people. They are between 17 and 20 years old. “Really madam, with the curfew, it’s been a long time since I saw my friends. I’m out there, but it’s been a while since I came here to town”, explains one of them, a student. The confinement, he is ready to respect it, provided it doesn’t last until this summer. Beside, his boyfriend, younger him, does not agree.
Me, nothing to do with confinement. If I have a party, I will go. If I have to go out, I’ll go out.
The young woman who accompanies them has already been fined for leaving after the curfew. She was coming home from work and had no certificate with her. 135 euros.
“Did you see what happened in the Netherlands?”
Rue Magenta, three young adults in a hurry. One of them has also already been fined for breaking the curfew. He calls out to his friend. “Did you see what happened in the Netherlands?”
Over there, big, they wanted to put a curfew and it started live. we in France are very docile.
Her boyfriend tempers “There was nevertheless the revolution, at home …” Confinement, they will respect it but that does not excite them. With the curfew, they already have the impression of no longer having a life: to work and to return immediately. With confinement, what will it be?
Seniors, cut off from everything
For seniors, it is not much better. This 62-year-old retiree finds the palpable fed up with her. And it affects all types of age, she explains.
For people my age, you have to understand that we no longer have a social life since all associations have stopped. Seniors, we are cut off from everything!
In Poitiers, as elsewhere in France, we are preparing for a third confinement. But many Poitevins no longer believe in its effectiveness. Many are tired of the efforts required for several months without success. And as the contaminations curve increases, the morale of Poitevins decreases.
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