France: Govt adviser claims COVID-19 'under control' as businesses reopen

As France lifts the lockdown, the head of government’s advisory panel on coronavirus response said that the pandemic is now “under control” in the country. Jean-François Delfraissy told France Inter radio that the virus is still circulating in certain regions but the rate of spread has slowed down and it is “reasonable” to say that the “virus is currently under control”.

France has reported over 152,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus with more than 29,000 deaths related to the infectious disease so far. However, the number of daily deaths have sharply declined as the health ministry reported 44 fatalities on June 4, prompting the government to cautiously ease restrictions and reopen the businesses.

On June 1, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced details of the second phase of the gradual lifting of lockdown including the reopening of bars and restaurants. However, in Paris, where the risk of coronavirus transmission remains higher than the rest of the country, the French government allowed terrace cafes and outside establishments to resume and prohibited indoor dining.

“The reopening of cafes, hotels and restaurants marks the return of happy days! There is no doubt that French will be there to rediscover this part of the French spirit, our culture and our art of living. In these difficult times, the state will continue to support this sector,” tweeted President Emmanual Macron on June 2. 

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Contract-tracing app

Last month, the lawmakers in lower house approved a contact-tracing app designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus amid sharp debate over privacy concerns. StopCovid app was made available to track users who have been in close proximity for over a two-week period. Privacy watchdog CNIL supported the use of the app, stating the technology won’t lead to creating a list of infected people but only a list of contacts using pseudonymous data.

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