Covid19: new restrictions soon?

"The President of the Republic has decided to convene a new Defense and National Security Council on the health crisis to see whether it is necessary to take additional measures from Monday at the end of the morning", declared the Prime Minister, during a visit to Angoulême hospital.

"The fifth wave of the pandemic is particularly strong" and "the situation is worrying", noted Mr. Castex, citing figures on the rise, including a "60% increase in cases observed in one week".

"We remain extremely vigilant", added the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, relying on the models of the Pasteur Institute which promise 3.000 Covid patients in intensive care in mid-December, against nearly 2.000 currently.

"We will not let the pressure rise too high" in hospitals, said Mr. Véran, responding to a question on a possible return of the gauges in establishments open to the public, starting with cafes and restaurants.

In the meantime, Mr. Castex has renewed his calls for vaccination, ensuring that "no one will be left without the possibility of making his recall before the deadline of January 15", date on which the health pass will begin to no longer be valid for people who have not received a complementary injection within the allotted time.

"There are all the doses you need", insisted the head of government, adding that "many meeting slots will open in the coming days".

Since the booster dose was opened to all French people over 12 years of age last Thursday, "a total of 4,5 million appointments have been made," said Mr. Castex.

He also noted that the number of first injections was on the rise again, while six million eligible French people, including 1,2 million over 65, have still not received any dose.

The Prime Minister was also making his first outing after ten days of isolation, having himself contracted the Covid last week.

"I had two doses of the vaccine, and this probably explains the fact that I only had extremely mild symptoms," he said.

During his visit, Mr. Castex also detailed the envelope of nearly 1,3 billion euros allocated to New Aquitaine, in the national plan of 19 billion euros of investments over 10 years of Ségur de health. In total, 158 establishments - hospitals such as EHPAD - will benefit from assistance, whether for renovation, new buildings or debt recovery.

The biggest beneficiary will be the Bordeaux university hospital center, which has started large modernization projects and will receive 326 million euros from the State.

The emergency department and the pharmacy of Angoulême hospital will receive six million euros to rehabilitate their premises, the dilapidation of which was noted Thursday by MM. Castex and Véran.

These investments are "a question of dignity of reception for the sick, of working conditions for the staff, and of efficiency of the hospital system", insisted Mr. Castex.