On Wednesday July 8th, French Prime Minister Jean Castex stated that France could take different and “more targeted” measures if a a second coronavirus wave were to appear in the country.
“Absolute containment has severe human and economic consequences,” Castex said. “We would not economically and socially bear an absolute and generalized confinement as we did in the past.” That is why the measures, if ever to be implement, would be targeted.
The Prime Minister confirmed his visit to French Guiana, an overseas department bordering Brazil, which is particularly affected by the epidemic. Castex acknowledged the number of Covid-19 cases seen in Guiana is not encouraging.
More than 130 reserve health workers have arrived to offer support to health workers in French Guiana. They are operational in the various Guyanese medical facilities. Castex visit to Guiana is scheduled for July 12th.
The have been nearly 30,000 Covid-19 deaths in France, a country that went into strict lockdown between mid-March and May.
Across Europe the health indicators seemed to be improving back in early June and countries began to open their borders. Lately, however, some regions such as Catalonia have been forced to go back into confinement due to a new outbreak of the virus.