PM CASTEX ANNONCES 16 FRENCH DPTS IN LOCKED DOWN INCLUDING PARIS FOR 4 WEEKS

USPA NEWS - PM Jean Castex announced new restrictive measures to curb the COVID-19 epidemic in France, whose recent figures are not optimistic, on the occasion of the televised press conference, in prime time. This weekly press conference takes place mostly by the Minister of Health Olivier Veran, chaired by the Prime Minister when important national announcements must be communicated to the French. This conference has been eagerly awaited for several days after rumors circulating about confinement, in particular for the Paris Ile de France region. This is why the PM, spoke first with the elected representatives, (Presidents of Regions and Associations of Departments and Mayors of France, in consultation before taking this decision, restrictive which will not please the French tired of being forced in the face of contaminations from COViD19 and unable to find normalcy.

PM CASTEX ANNONCES 16 FRENCH DPTS IN FRANCE LOCKED DOWN INCLUDING PARIS IDF FOR 4 WEEKS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The French PM Jean Castex announced a "containment" for part of France where the COVID-19 virus, (and therefore the incidence rate) was deemed too high by the country's health authorities. The departments of Hauts de France and Alpes Maritmes had already been subject to local containment for the weekend to curb the spread of the virus. The Ile de France region (Paris and the suburbs) had been spared so far. But from next Saturday, that is to say March 20, new restrictions will be put in place, namely a flexible containment, consisting of the closure of stores deemed non-essential (except hairdressers and florists), but with the possibility of going out and air, without being allowed to have public meetings or gatherings, and "not to have barbecues parties with friends", with a curfew which will go from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. summer time, the last weekend of next March). The schools will remain open for pupils and college students. On the other hand, they will be prohibited from traveling from one region to another without a compelling reason.---------------------------------------------------- French PM Jean Castex has thus listed the sixteen departments where confinement will apply from Saturday March 20 are: Aisne, Alpes-Maritimes, Essonne, Eure, Hauts-de-Seine, Nord, Oise, Paris, Pas-de-Calais, Seine-et-Marne, Seine-Maritime, Seine-Saint-Denis, Somme, Val-d'Oise, Val-de-Marne, Yvelines. In these departments, it will be possible to go out during the day "without any time limit" with a certificate, provided you stay within a radius of 10 kilometers from your home. The measure is valid for the moment for one month. In the 16 departments, shops and "non-essential" departments will have to remain closed from next Saturday. « The length of hospital stay of patients is longer and those who are affected are younger. The situation is deteriorating and our responsibility is that it does not relax now, We will maintain the level of epidemic, and not light and easy measures and you live it since January 16, a curfew from 6 pm as well that the reduction in the closure of certain ERP establishments (Establishments receiving the public. "thus explained the French PM Jean Castex

WE HAVE APPLIED THE STRATEGY OF "TESTING ALERT & PROTECT"------------------------------------------------------ French PM Jean Castex has indeed explained that it is the incidence rate I> 400 patients with COVID-19 per 100,000 inhabitants (according to the Ministry of Health) which triggered the alert, justifying the decision to these new measures of sanitary restrictions, given the saturation of certain hospitals (especially in Paris, Ile de France), knowing that the FRACE only has 5,000 medical beds for the care of COVID-19 patients (ICU). Indeed since the implementation of curfew measures in France decided by the President of the Republic had privileged not to confine the country, as long as it is not absolutely necessary, by playing the race against the clock. The Prime Minister, Jean Castex adopted the new slogan "To brake and not to lock up" as for the put in place of this new semi-confinement, unique in its kind, which one could qualify as "French"

AN NOW ITS IS A TERRITORIALIZED STRATEGY------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Prime Minister Jean Castex, explains that "In the very affected territories, we have acted, with a territorialized strategy, with reinforced surveillance in 23 departments and since February 25 in the Alpes Maritimes and Hauts de France and Ile de France. Above 400 cases per 100,000 inhabitants with an alert rating. The incidence rate is 381 tonight, and the 400 threshold will be quickly crossed. Given regional disparities, this territorial strategy retains its relevance " insisted the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex. He added that: "Which means that the incidence rate has increased by more than 23% in one week and the hospital pressure and our nursing staff is very high, with 1200 people in ICU in the PARIS, Ile de France region. (IDF), already more than during the peak of the second wave of November 2020. We can still receive 500 patients. " warned the Prime Minister. "And the epidemic situation is not equivalent everywhere, but it is worrying everywhere. Likewise, the Seine maritime departments have experienced a very strong increase and occupancy of resuscitation beds which are almost completely saturated, hence new measures without delay." he added.

"BRAKING YET NOT LOCKED DOWN" THE NEW SLOGAN OF PM JEAN CASTEX----------------------------------------- “The weekend containment in the Maritime Alps and Pas de Calais worked well, but not enough, despite the drop observed and attenuated in recent days. I thank the inhabitants and the reactions of local elected officials facing the acceleration of the rates of contamination and therefore 16 departments will be concerned by the braking measures from Friday evening midnight for 4 weeks "A thus explains PM Jean Castex. THE MEASURES OF MARCH-APRIL 2020 WILL BE DIFFERENT ONE YEAR LATER IN 2021----------------------------- PM Jean Castex, recalls the anniversary of the establishment of strict containment which took place last year in 2020, and lessons already learned from this epidemic linked to COVID-19: "The measures will be different from March -April 2020, because since the epidemic in one year, the crisis has passed and we have learned, and we had applied a strict national confinement with closure of schools, then reduced teaching. And in November 2020, we switched to a curfew strategy. He added that: "Which means that the incidence rate has increased by more than 23% in one week and the hospital pressure and our nursing staff is very high, with 1200 people in ICU in the PARIS, Ile de France region. (IDF), already more than during the peak of the second wave of November 2020. We can still receive 500 patients. " warned the Prime Minister. "And the epidemic situation is not equivalent everywhere, but it is worrying everywhere. Likewise, the Seine maritime departments have experienced a very strong increase and occupancy of resuscitation beds which are almost completely saturated, hence new measures without delay." he added.

A PROPORTIONED AND TERRITIRALIZED PRAGMATIC STRATEGY----------------------------------------------------------- PM Jean Castex then compares France to other countries in the world, which for some have chosen to confine strictly, while France has chosen to adopt a curfew at 6 am: “Unlike many neighboring countries, we do not We did not adopt confinement in January and it was the right decision, and to avoid inflicting a 3-month confinement which would have been excessive and unbearable, despite the outbreak of the epidemic that had been predicted. Germany, for 3 months has closed (the country) and including schools and nurseries, due to variants of COVID-19. In Italy is in its 4th containment due to the British variant. He then confides how the strategy was put in place with the head of state Macron: With the President of the Republic, we have adopted a proportionate and territorialized pragmatic approach, despite the progression of the variant. "

VACCINATION WITH ASTRA ZENECA WILL RESTART FOLLOWING A FAVORABLE OPINION FROM EMA: PM Jean Castex explained himself about the resumption of vaccination with ASTRAZENECA, which was suspended a few days ago, following the same announcement of the President Macron, simultaneously with the decision of Germany, Spain and Italy. Vaccination was then struck by this controversy, arriving at the critical timing, case at the same time when the roll up vaccine was finally settling in a bin rhythm ... "Pending the opinion of the EMA (European Medicine Agency), it was taken as a precaution, and although we had identified extreme cases, the suspension of vaccination at Astra Zeneca. The EMA has just confirmed that vaccine Astra Zeneca is safe and effective, and contrary to suspicions there is no evidence of a risk of thrombosis or coagulation. This is an extremely rare occurrence in a person> 55 years old with too many platelets. The risk of protecting themselves from COVID-19 is far greater than the risk of side effects. It is always difficult to announce measures that represent restrictions in their lives, but we are forced to do so.----------------------------------------------------------- Per day we reached 5.7 million patients, with vulnerable fragile people. Almost one in 2 people> 75% have been vaccinated. We are the European country which has the most vaccinations for vulnerable people. We must continue to be vaccinated for seniors> 75 years. Yet for me and the President of the Republic and the whole government, the important thing is to know if we have given ourselves all the means to get there, with the race against time for vaccination. All doses of the vaccine, AZTRAZENECA will be reallocated, and no doses will be lost. Every day, a day won is a day won. "Thus proclaimed PM Jean Castex in a very optimistic manner.

THE RETURN TO NORMALCY ACCORDING TO PM JEAN CASTEX------------------------------------------------------------ PM Jean Castex announced in a very reassuring manner and to mitigate the controversy over the AstraZeneca vaccine and who may have feared some French people to be vaccinated by this same vaccine and / or not to want to be injected with the second dose, " Myself tomorrow afternoon, I will be vaccinated with the Astrazenca vaccine and show all my confidence to the doctors and pharmacists who will resume the AstraZeneca vaccination tomorrow. The delivery that arrives we set ourselves the objective of 10 million vaccination for mid April and for people aged> 50 years and those at risk of the disease, then 20M for mid May and finally 30M> 30 years, by the end of June, ie a total volunteer population.----------------------------- Vaccine deliveries arrive in mid April of a new Johnson vaccine approved in France and Europe. And we'll use those doses as quickly as possible. Vaccinations can be done at the doctor and / or pharmacist and there are 1,500 in France, including during the weekend. We then get there. "A affirms in a positive manner the PM Jean Castex THE VARIANT IS DEVELOPING IN AN UNEVEN WAY BUT SOME IN EUROPE----------------------------------------------- By taking pragmatic, proportionate and territorialized measures while ensuring territorial equity, we face difficult days. The best prospect is vaccination, if today's efforts are essential, we will see that our efforts will not be in vain. In responding to a question from a journalist, PM Jean Castex replied about the lack of medical beds and why for a year, the number of beds available for public hospitals has not been increased? He replied, “Our goal is not to keep patients in beds, even if we have 100,000 beds, but to reduce contamination. This is not the way to stop an epidemic.