The Poles and a third of the French wake up on Saturday again confined, but in different modalities this time, at a time when weariness in the face of anti-coronavirus restrictions is increasing in some countries, such as Canada, Austria or Bulgaria .
Third confinement in one year for 21 million French people, including Parisians, the measure is however more flexible and less restrictive than in March 2020. Unlike the first two confinements, the French will be able to leave this time “without any limitation of duration” , but “within a radius of 10 kilometers” and with a certificate. A large part of the businesses will also be closed.
A certain feverishness nevertheless seized Friday of Parisians a few hours before the entry into force of these measures, which concern the 12 million inhabitants of the Paris region. At the end of the day, some 400 kilometers of traffic jams were recorded at the exit of Paris.
These new restrictions were made necessary by the rapid deterioration of the health situation, which “is more and more clearly akin to a third wave”, according to Prime Minister Jean Castex.
For this “season 3” of confinement, the French government has emphasized the fact that we contaminate ourselves more inside than outside. When spring arrives, parks and gardens remain open, but the list of closed businesses has grown, to the chagrin of some.
“This is the coup de grace. This third confinement comes when retailers bring in the summer collections, which will remain blocked for at least a month,” lamented Pierre Talamon, of the National Federation of clothing.
– Partial confinement –
Poland also enters partial containment on Saturday for a period of three weeks, new restrictions made necessary in the face of the upsurge in contamination. The Polish government eased the pressure in February, authorizing the opening of hotels, museums, cinemas, theaters and swimming pools with a half-gauge, against the current restrictions decided in Europe.
Germany will in this regard restrict from Sunday crossings at its border with Poland, a country classified as a high-risk Covid-19 zone by the Robert Koch health watch institute.
Belgium, for its part, has recorded for a week an “outbreak” of cases, which require “to tighten the screws” on the restrictions, according to the Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke. Same thing in Argentina where the government announced Friday to face a second wave of the coronavirus “more virulent” than the first last year.
In Asia, the Philippines announced new restrictions on Friday, as contaminations reached a new record there, with more than 7,000 new cases per day.
In Brazil, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro has decided to close beaches from this weekend to curb the spread of the virus, in a country where the epidemic is out of control and where the vaccination campaign is starting very slowly. Barely more than 5% of the population there received a first dose of vaccine and less than 2% the second.
In this context, weariness after a year of epidemic is increasing in Europe but also elsewhere in the world. A demonstration is scheduled for Saturday in Montreal, Canada to protest against these health restrictions. Ditto in Austria and Bulgaria.
– AstraZeneca recommended –
Governments therefore want to end as soon as possible an epidemic that has already killed nearly 2.7 million people, and vaccination continues to intensify.
Several European countries began to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine again on Friday, recommended by WHO experts.
To fight against the virus, Germany and France, like Italy, Bulgaria and Slovenia, resumed vaccination with AstraZeneca on Friday. Other countries will get back to it next week, including Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.
About fifteen countries had suspended the use of this vaccine as a precaution after reporting possible serious side effects such as coagulation disorders and clot formation, ultimately unrelated to this serum.
In contrast, Denmark announced on Friday that, like its neighbors Norway and Sweden, it would wait before resuming vaccinations. Finland, which had so far not suspended the AstraZeneca vaccine, has decided to discontinue its use as a “precaution” after two suspected cases of cerebral thrombosis.
To reassure the populations, several European leaders have been or will be vaccinated with AstraZeneca.
In France, the head of government Jean Castex set an example on Friday by receiving a first dose, just like his British counterpart Boris Johnson.
“It is true that I have been a little worried these last days (…) But there, I am super relieved by the decision of the European Agency. And I will go to make my 2nd injection in the joy and the good humor, I can’t wait! “, Jeanne Capestan, 52, told Paris.
“Frankly, I will not do it, I do not trust”, explained on the contrary Serena Chérif, a Parisian not convinced by the example of Mr. Castex. “They banned it and they handed it over, so there is a problem.”
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has announced that he too will be vaccinated with AstraZeneca, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel has indicated that he is ready to do so.
burs / ob / ahe
–
