REMARKS OF PM EDOUARD PHILIPPE UNVEILING THE GRADUAL LOCKDOWN ENDING ON MAY 11

USPA NEWS - Prime Minister French Edouard Philippe explained the next stages of easing the lockdown, in France in a press conference this Thursday, May 7. This containment, which started on March 17th, in reposted to the spread of COVID-19, will be lifted "gradually" and will be accompanied by "many restrictions" and recommendations to be cautious, added the Prime Minister, whose full remarks, we publish as it follows. While in France, since March 1, 25,987 deaths linked to COVID-19 have been recorded (178 in 24 hours, against 278 the day before), including 16,386 deaths in hospitals (149 in 24 hours, against 177 the day before) and 9,601 deaths (29 in 24 hours, against 101 the day before). In the medico-social medico-social facilities, 23,208 people are hospitalized for a COVID-19 infection (against 23,983 the day before) and 728 new admissions (against 833 the previous day) were recorded in 24 hours. 2,961 patients with a severe form of COVID-19 are hospitalized in intensive care. The balance remains negative in intensive care, with 186 fewer COVID-19 patients. (Updated on April 5 at 2:35 pm)

REMARKS OF FRENCH PM EDOUARD PHILIPPE ANNOUNCING THE LFT OF LOCKDOWN ON MAY 11 « Ladies and gentlemen, this morning, during the Defense Council, the President of the Republic confirmed it, in view of the health results recorded in recent days, the gradual lifting of the confinement can be started this Monday, May 11. This is a new step in the fight against the epidemic, good news for France and the French. We will therefore begin next Monday a very gradual process, at least over several weeks, which will allow the country to slowly but surely get out of the confinement that we know, in France as elsewhere in a very large part of the countries of the world, since March 17. As introduced , PM Edouard Philippe, the methodology of the stages of lifting of confinement in a very pedagogical format, in a serious tone and worried all the same. » "WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT BALANCE" EDOUARD PHILIPPE SAID----------------------------------------------- « The spirit in which we work, you know it: we are constantly looking for the right balance between the essential resumption of normal life, family, economic, cultural, health and social, and the essential respect for all the precautions that prevent the epidemic to start again and which protect the French. It is a balance that we need to maintain. It is not one of the priorities that should prevail over the other, it is a balance. So it´s a ridge path. You also know our method. I asked Mr. Jean Castex, who is both a senior civil servant and the mayor of a municipality located in the Pyrenees-Orientales, to draw up a very concrete strategy, involving all the actors, local authorities, social partners, scientists. His final report was validated this morning by the President of the Republic in the Defense Council. It will be made public in the coming days. It is based on a strategy that I presented on April 28 to the National Assembly. First, because it was necessary to take the opinion of Parliament. Secondly, because presenting this strategy early made it possible to confront it with realities on the ground and also to give local players time to prepare for lifting the lockdown. Here we are. Today there is good news and less good news. The good news is that we are able to validate the lockdown lifting throughout the metropolitan territory. The less good news is that some departments are performing worse than expected. » PM Edouard Philippe Stated.

THE MAPS SHOW FRANCE IS DIVIDED INTO TWO : GREEN LESS INFECTED BY COVID-19 AND RED AREAS « The map of France that the Minister of Solidarity and Health will present to you in a few moments is very clear: the country is divided into two. In most of the country, we have managed to stem the epidemic wave, we have found room for maneuver in the hospital and we are ready for the tests. These are called green departments. If they stay green for the next three weeks, we can, at the very beginning of June, consider a new stage of lockdown lifting, with perhaps the opening of high schools, cafes, restaurants, of course in the to the extent that sanitary conditions allow.---------------------------------------------------------- In other departments, the virus is still actively circulating, or the hospital remains in high tension. This is called the red departments. The lockdown easing, is possible there, with certain restrictions: no opening of colleges, no opening of parks and gardens. » PM Philippe acknowledged. In these red departments, two special situations must be mentioned: Mayotte and the Ile-de-France region. In Mayotte, the number of cases is small, but it is increasing. In Ile-de-France, the number of cases is surely decreasing, slowly, but it remains high, higher than what we hoped for. This is why, in these two territories, we will have to be particularly vigilant.

« IN MAYOTTE WILL KEEP LOCKDOWN UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE » PM PHILIPPE SAID « In Mayotte, we decided to delay the lockdown lifting, to give us all the means to control the epidemic. In Ile-de-France, given the trend that remains well oriented, we can ease the lockdown restrictions. But the fact that there is virus left in circulation, that this region is obviously very dense, very populated, that exchanges are numerous, imposes on us a reinforced discipline. The ministers will detail this discipline. For my part, I want to emphasize two points. » Edouard Philippe stated. « In this epidemic, we are doing everything to protect the most vulnerable: the elderly, people sick with pathologies such as obesity, diabetes, respiratory failure. We have said it, the President of the Republic clarified it, and we will not come back to it: there will be no compulsory confinement for vulnerable people after May 11, even in Ile-de- France. But I want to say to all the people who know they are vulnerable - either because of their age, or because of the pathologies that I have just indicated, or because they are elderly and moreover suffer from these pathologies: continue, to your safety and that of others, to observe as far as possible, on a voluntary basis, the very strict rules of prudence which resemble those of the last two months », Edouard Philippe added.

« WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE » PM EDOUARD PHILIPPE SAID « In this epidemic, we are doing everything to protect the most vulnerable: the elderly, people sick with pathologies such as obesity, diabetes, respiratory failure. We have said it, the President of the Republic clarified it, and we will not come back to it: there will be no compulsory confinement for vulnerable people after May 11, even in Ile-de- France. But I want to say to all the people who know they are vulnerable - either because of their age, or because of the pathologies that I have just indicated, or because they are elderly and moreover suffer from these pathologies: continue, to your safety and that of others, to observe as far as possible, on a voluntary basis, the very strict rules of prudence which resemble those of the last two months. « We trust people who know they are vulnerable to protect themselves. It is not a question of ordering, it is a question of telling them, of telling you that it is your responsibility to be careful when you go out, or when you receive your family or friends at home, take the precautions that are necessary to make sure you protect yourself and others. » PM Edouard Philippe acknowledged.

IN ILE DE FRANCE I EMPHASIZE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SANITIZING BARRIERS. « The second important point in Ile-de-France on which I want to emphasize concerns transport, and in particular public transport. They are essential and they will not be closed, they have never closed. But we will, at least for the first three weeks, impose very strict rules to prevent them from becoming a vector for the spread of the epidemic. I do not exclude, moreover, that we decide on additional measures if the measures of physical distance were not sufficiently respected and if the situation did not improve. I have told you several times, the objective, not only that of the Government, but of all French people, is to ensure that we can live with this virus. Learn to protect ourselves from it because as long as we have no vaccines, treatments or collective immunity, the only way to live is to protect ourselves from it, by scrupulously respecting all measures of physical distancing, hygiene , protective measures which are permanently recalled. I will now give the floor to the members of the Government who surround me and who are on the front line in the preparation and implementation of our strategy so that they can, each in their field, specify a certain number of elements. « UNTIL MAY 11 WE HAVE THREE DAYS TO GET PREPARED » EDOUARD PHILIPPE STATED « It is May 7. We have just over three days to arrive on May 11 and continue to prepare. Next Monday will be the first day of a new phase, of a restart in our social life. It will not be a completely normal life - all of the members of the Government who have spoken today have made it clear - but it will be the start of this new phase. It will ask from each of the French men and women of discipline and responsibility, on May 11, but also on the 12, the 13 and every following day“¦ It is over time that we will succeed in controlling traffic of the virus and the epidemic. I am confident that we will be able to demonstrate this discipline and this responsibility collectively. The lockdown lifting shall be progressive should not be the sign or the mark of the relaxation of our vigilance. We will approach the coming days and weeks with pragmatism, continuing throughout the month of May to adapt our plan to feedback from the field, to continue the dialogue with local elected officials, to learn of any difficulties that may arise. » Edouard Philippe acknowledged. « I would like to thank very warmly very warmly all those who are helping to prepare for this day of May 11 and this phase which will begin next Monday: the mayors, of course since we have placed them at the heart of the lockdown lifting restrictions, the prefects, the companies, all local elected representatives, regional health agencies, state officials: all those who, in their place, depending on their responsibilities, help prepare us and allow this lockdown easing. In three weeks, at the end of May, we will know exactly where we are. We will know whether or not we have managed to contain the epidemic. We will know all this at the rate of contamination and hospital admissions and in intensive care that we will obviously watch with immense attention. If these figures remain low, we can welcome it and move to a new phase, expanding our areas of freedom in many areas particularly important for the coming summer. If this is not the case, we will draw the consequences and we will adapt. I obviously wish at all costs to avoid this hypothesis but it would not be serious and reasonable not to mention it. » Edouard Philippe Said.

« Monday I think that a lot of French people will be happy to find a little of the freedom that they missed so much during these long weeks of confinement, a little of the space that they missed, a little of the nature that gave them missed when confined to apartments in large urban centers. I think that many of our fellow citizens will be keen to use this freedom while being aware of the need to exercise great vigilance. » PM Edouard Philippe acknowledged. All the measures which have been presented, which will be recalled in the plan which I mentioned earlier and which will be published, are sometimes very directive measures and sometimes call, in the event that they are not respected, sanctions. However, as I have had the opportunity to say several times, much more than the rule, that the possibility of punishing non-compliance with this rule, it is the spirit of the rule that counts. It is the fact that we must continuously strike the balance between health security that is important and decisive, and the resumption of our lives. This balance can only be achieved if we trust each other, if we all understand what it is all about and I mean in this matter I trust it. Thank you. » Edouard Philippe concluded.