President of the French Scientific Council Jean-Francois Delfraissy said on Wednesday that it was crucial the period of strict confinement that is in place due to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic be prolonged for another several weeks
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2020) President of the French Scientific Council Jean-Francois Delfraissy said on Wednesday that it was crucial the period of strict confinement that is in place due to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic be prolonged for another several weeks.
"It's necessary that the lockdown remains in place for several more weeks counting from now... As for the current state of understanding, we could of course start talking about and have a strategy for what will happen after the lockdown, but an essential and crucial element is that the strict lockdown continues for several more weeks," Delfraissy told the France Info broadcaster.
The epidemiologist added that the Scientific Council had asked the government to prolong the lockdown, which is currently in place until April 15, but that "everything will depend on the level of tolerance among the population."
Among the conditions that have to be met to end of the lockdown, Delfraissy named the reduced number of the COVID-19 cases in France and a clear operational post-lockdown strategy.
"Before we envisage the end of the lockdown, the government has to ensure that the goal of relieving the French reanimation services is met... The medical crews have to benefit from a sufficient period to recover from the enormous effort they made," he added.
President Emmanuel Macron is expected to address the nation on Thursday evening to declare further measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
The death toll from the novel coronavirus in France exceeded 10,000 this week, making it one of four countries with the largest death tolls behind Italy, Spain and the United States.
