► To find the live from the previous day:
FRANCE – 6:45 p.m .: Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announces the postponement of meetings of municipal councils elected in the first round.
ITALY – 6.30 p.m .: The death toll reached 3,405 in Italy (427 more in 24 hours), and now exceeds that of China. In all, since the start of the epidemic, more than 35,000 Italians have been infected.
WORLD – 6 p.m .: The virus now affects 159 countries out of 192, and has infected more than 230,000 people, including 80,000 in Europe.
FRANCE – 5 p.m .: According to the main union of medical interns, the authorities must “stop half measures and equivocal speeches”. They claim “total and absolute containment of the entire population“to face the crisis.
“It is a total and absolute containment of the entire population that we need, like the measures deployed in China”, says the union, which is asking for a “strict shutdown of all non-vital businesses” but also “public transport”.
The less the confinement will be strictly applied, the more the resuscitations will be saturated, the more we will have to make choices – Intersyndicale nationale des Internes
CORSICA – 4:25 p.m. : In a press release the regional health agency announces 164 confirmed cases of Coronavirus :
- 26 Covid confirmed patients in Haute-Corse (= + 2 cases confirmed today).
- 138 patients confirmed in South Corsica (= + 10 cases confirmed today).
CORSICA – 3:44 p.m. : Jean-Guy Talamoni, President of the Corsican Assembly, sends a letter to the Director General of the World Health Organization, to alert him to what he calls “the deficiencies of Paris“, and the need for generalized testing.
BASTIA – 3.15 p.m. : The streets are deserted, the population follows the sanitary confinement instructions and the controls are intensified.
CORSICA – 3:00 p.m .: The regional prefect issues a decree prohibiting access to the beaches of Corse-du-Sud in order to prevent the spread of Coronavirus on the territory.
► The prefect of Corsica Franck Robine answered your questions on our microphone, this Thursday:
- Will there be new measures taken against people who do not respect general confinement?
Franck Robine: “I would first like to say that as a whole, Corsicans follow measures well, and I thank them for that because it is really essential for public health. I remind you that the displacements which are allowed are derogatory displacements. It is a confinement to protect oneself and protect others. It must be short trips and close to home. And indeed, we can see that for some, these trips take the form of a long walk, sometimes with a lot of people. We are going to take new measures: wherever we see some sort of grouping of people, we may have to ban. And all the prefects of the Mediterranean coast will take orders today prohibiting access to the beaches.“
- Where can we go to play sports?
FR : “You have to be on foot, near your home, to get some fresh air. It is out of the question to take the car to go 20km to walk. It is very restrictive, I know, but it is the most effective way to be able to stem the progression of the virus.“
- Can we be two in a vehicle?
FR : “In the case of a family, we can accompany a person. But you must always have the employer certificate“for the person who is going to work”and for the person accompanying, a special certificate, day by day“
- If I move, can I continue to move?
FR : “As much as possible, we must look to see if we can postpone the move date. The movers are not in the activities for which the exemption has been provided. The question having come back several times, we will elaborate a general answer on this question.“
- What about replenishment races?
FR : “There is no reason to rush into stores to stock. The rushes cause gatherings and therefore dangers of spread of the virus. Refueling will be provided on a regular basis.“
- Several trades corporations remain in activity, one thinks for example of building and public works: do you think that it will be necessary to stop the activity of these companies at some point?
FR : “We really sought a delicate balance between public health, which prevails, and the minimum of continuity of the life of the Nation. The question of construction sites comes up frequently, my answer is quite simple. Either we are able, on construction sites to set up barrier measures, or, case by case, it may be necessary to consider stopping the site. The principle is that the continuity of the work can be done. I am convinced that with a good employee dialogue we can find a way to respect barrier measures.“
- For La Poste, will there be a standardization of the rules concerning the distribution and reception of letters and parcels?
FR : “I had several times the regional director of the Post which implemented the reduced activity plan, the black plan for the Post. Today there are only 14 post offices in operation. There are still a number of measures to adjust and the Regional Director is working on them.“
- If I don’t have a printer, can I write my certificate?
FR : “Yes, by making it as close as possible to the model. However, one is required for each day and each exit certificate.“
- Can I go to the village for containment?
FR : “I think it is dangerous for the elderly. I call on the Corsicans who have gone up to respect the barrier measures. Containment must be respected to avoid the spread of the virus.”
- Masks are missing, will there be any soon?
FR : “FFP2 masks are reserved for professionals. A number will be received soon and distributed to liberal physicians. The so-called surgical masks do not protect and are especially intended for the patients to avoid projections. On prescription, sick people are invited to wear them, but as such they do not offer complete protection. (…) We are not in shortage. We have significant tension in hospitals and this is normal. (…) We are in priority Corsica and received ten thousand masks yesterday which will be distributed.“
- Is it possible to tighten up controls?
FR : “Yesterday, we made a visible massive deployment. Today, we made a more in-depth deployment on the ground precisely to pass the instructions in the villages and we will alternate the visible controls and those less visible but which also have their usefulness. The 1000 Corsican gendarmes are entirely dedicated to this mission today. As for the police, they were reinforced by personnel from the BAC and CRS to properly occupy the ground. I want to tell the Corsicans that we are not trying to trap them. We want to send a message and this message is stay at home. “
- Are we sufficiently equipped with medical equipment?
FR : “We are expecting an increase in the coronavirus which can go very quickly if the phenomenon spreads and the confinement is not well respected. We are waiting for the wave from the weekend and all next week, ie the increase in the number of cases. We are in stage 3 of virus circulation, so we shifted the health strategy which now relies as much on hospitals as on private doctors. 80% of infected people will be sick without needing health care. If you have symptoms you do not rush, you call your doctor, and if the symptoms are severe you are taken in charge by the SAMU. “
“We took a whole series of measures last week to smooth out the peak. Hospitals have reorganized to increase the number of beds available in intensive care. Currently we have 10 to 12 intensive care patients in Ajaccio, the objective is to have 40 or more, 20 in Bastia. We do not know if that will be enough, that is why we have to respect confinement. National solidarity will obviously play a role if necessary. I am concerned but I would really like to thank the efforts of the nursing staff over the past few weeks to allow the increase in the capacity of our respiratory capacities. “
- General containment: should we take the measure earlier?
FR : “We took measures on March 8 in Corsica. There are no measures to prevent the virus. The measures we are taking are measures to slow the circulation of the virus. The eradication measure of the virus would be the vaccine, which currently does not exist. “
- Will the duration of confinement be extended?
FR : “It all depends on the analysis made at the national level by specialists. We will see what is happening. Certain indications tend to show thatit could be extended and exceed 14 days.“
BASTIA – 11 a.m. : Mass and processions of San Ghjisè, which were to be held today, were postponed to May 1. And for the bastiaises and the bastiais, who are very attached to this tradition, it is a heartbreaker, as Jacques Fieschi, colleague of Saint-Joseph, explains to us and Céline Tagliazucchi, a faithful:
san ghjisè –
The Church proposes to create an invisible procession, “which will light up our island, a sign of the approaching Easter light”.
By placing candles on the windows of balconies in Corsica, this evening and next March 25 at 7 p.m.
BASTIA – 10:30 a.m. : The city of Bastia has set up a solidarity network, which relies on posters to be posted in plain view in the hall of its building, to facilitate assistance between neighbors:
????Bastiacci, aiutemu ci!
The City of Bastia is setting up a solidarity network to allow everyone to best help isolated people and find the help they need. Download and display this sheet in your building ⤵️
Infurmazione:https://t.co/2a0XbbRf3Y pic.twitter.com/iEV93s9bUF– Cità di Bastia (@Cita_Bastia) March 19, 2020
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AJACCIO – 9 a.m. : The E.Leclerc stores in Ajaccio, in Baleone, Impérial and Rocade, adapt to containment measures:
From tomorrow Friday March 20, between 8h and 9h, establishments will only be accessible:
- to people over 65 on presentation of an identity document, with an authorized companion
- to people with disabilities on presentation of proof, with an authorized guide
- to pregnant women
- to health personnel upon presentation of proof
- to all of the E.Leclerc staff at Ajaccio.
From 9:30 am, the stores will be open to everyone.
Management reminds that deliveries of fresh produce continue every day.
CORSICA -7.30am: The latest assessment communicated by the Regional Health Agency yesterday at 5 p.m. during the traditional press point shows 152 cases of contamination confirmed in Corsica, 7 more than the day before :
24 patients confirmed Covid-19 in Haute-Corse (= + 0 cases confirmed today).
128 patients confirmed in South Corsica (= + 7 cases confirmed today).
What to do in case of symptoms?
In case of suspicious symptoms, such as a cough, fever, breathing difficulties or even flu, and especially after a stay in an area facing the epidemic, the health authorities indicate to remain confined and contact the 15 rather than going to the emergency room on his own. A “primordial” instruction in order to avoid “a possible propagation of the virus”.
The SAMU, overwhelmed, however specifies that only people suffering from suspicious symptoms should contact them. In case of doubts or questions following a return from areas affected by the epidemic, islanders can reach the toll-free number set up by the Regional Health Agency (ARS): 0 800 130 000.
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