THREAD / In this time of global crisis, I did a ROUGH, UNOFFICIAL English translation of last night's remarks by Jérôme Salomon, the director of the French national health service, in which he called on France to START SOCIAL DISTANCING. via @YouTube
2x JS: At the end of January, the World Health Organization declared that the Covid-19 epidemic was a worldwide public health emergency. At the start of March, the director of the World Health Organization confirmed that we are facing a pandemic. Today, we now have +153,000
3x JS: confirmed cases in the world, and 63,000 have recovered. China represents 53 percent of these cases and outside China the epidemic is moving rapidly, 72,000 cases, which is about 47 percent.
4x JS: Today 140 countries are affected—Iran, South Korea—but you know that now Europe is the epicenter of the epidemic. In Europe the country hardest hit in terms of absolute numbers after China but also in terms of number of cases per inhabitant is Italy with 21,000 cases.
5x JS: Followed by Spain with 6,000 cases and Germany has around 4,000 cases. We’re reaching 5,800 deaths—of which 3,200 in China and 2,500 outside China. Outside China the countries hardest hit are Italy with 1,441 deaths, Iran with 611, and Spain with 191.
6x JS: **In France, we are at the start of a national epidemic with a rapid and intense viral circulation in many areas of the country. This Level 3 now requires behavior to slow down the effects of the wave, based on strengthening preventive measures (“les mesures barrières”).
7x JS: **We are heading toward a generalized epidemic in the next few days, but everything will depend on how the virus behaves and especially on how individuals and the collective respect the preventive measures.** #COVID19
8x / JS: Up to now, the French people have not had enough awareness of the importance they play in stopping the spread of the virus. We must change our behavior urgently, and we must do it now. #COVID19
9x / JS: A plan has been put in place across France to mobilize health care professionals, but especially to cancel all non-essential activities across France. Outside the 157 designated health care facilities that have been placed in the front lines. #COVIDー19
10x / JS: In addition to the 157 designated health care facilities in the front lines and the thousands of tests they’ve conducted since the start of the epidemic, we have also mobilized other medical facilities as secondary support nationwide. #COVID19
11x / JS: **We have mobilized intensive care units ("les réanimateurs") and intensive care doctors in order to anticipate the arrival of a large number of critical cases (“cas graves”)** #COVIDー19
12x/ JS: We have mobilized medical reserves nationwide by calling on a large number of medical students and retired medical professionals. To keep them informed in real time, I they must register w/the national health service to receive up-to-the minute directives. #COVIDー19
13x/JS: Today we have 4,500 cases confirmed in France, a number that doubled in the last 72 hours. That gives you an idea of how fast this is spreading in France. All the regions of metropolitan French have cases, as do French Guyana, Martinique, Réunion, Guadeloupe #COVIDー19
14x/ JS: St. Barthelemy, St. Martins, and now Mayotte. The six regions that are most affected are Corsica, the Grand Est region, Burgundy-France-Comté, Hauts-de-France, Ile-de-France, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alps. #COVIDー19
15x/ JS: **As of this evening, we have +300 critical cases in intensive care (“300 cas graves en réanimation”). We have critical cases who are adults—and let me remind you that more than 50 percent of the people in intensive care are under the age of 60.** #COVID19
16x/JS: . We also regret that we have had 91 deaths, of whom 61 were above the age of 75. Let me make an important reminder: in 98 percent of cases, people recover from this illness. #COVIDー19
17x/ JS: but we absolutely have to mobilize immediately to respond to needs in cities and to respond to the most at-risk and critical cases. The appeal for national solidarity made by the president and the prime minister requires us to prepare... #COVIDー19
18x/ JS: ...starting this evening, to protect the most fragile and the elderly. We have already suspended in-person visits to retirement homes. #COVIDー19 @MinSoliSante
19x/JS: But we have also asked ALL PEOPLE OVER 70 or anyone with CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES—diabetes, a kidney condition, a compromised respiratory system, a heart condition, people undergoing chemotherapy: STAY INSIDE AND ONLY LEAVE THE HOUSE IF IT IS ABSOLUTELY URGENT. #COVIDー19
20x/JS: The barrier measures have to be put in place rapidly by the entire population. I would like to remind you of something important: **the virus doesn’t circulate in France, it is men and women who allow it to circulate.** #COVIDー19 @MinSoliSante
21x/ JS: If you are sick and in isolation at home or the hospital, no one should come into contact with you, to avoid spreading the virus between people. #COVIDー19
22x / JS: . If a child or an asymptomatic carrier stays home and drastically reduces contacts with others, the contagion of the virus from one person to another slows down. #COVIDー19 @MinSoliSante
23x / JS: There is a scientific rationale behind all the measures we are taking, and we have consulted the opinions of experts, as the prime minister said. **The measures are progressive, commensurate to a rapidly evolving epidemiological situation.** #COVIDー19 @MinSoliSante
24x / JS: Some common sense: If you have mild symptoms—a headache, a sore throat, some aches, a slight fever—the only thing to do is to stay at home. Do not overwhelm the 15 lines, those lines are reserved for emergencies or for people in respiratory distress. #COVIDー19
25x / JS: And again, common sense: please stay at home if you have those mild symptoms, and if you need to, call your doctor for a consultation. #COVIDー19 @MinSoliSante
26x/ JS: **WE NEED TO BE A SHIELD TO THE NATION FOR THE ELDERLY AND THE MOST FRAGILE, AND TO SHOW OUR CAPACITY FOR SOLIDARITY BETWEEN GENERATIONS. We need to mobilize in cities in order to prevent overwhelming health care professionals #COVIDー19 @MinSoliSante
27x/ JS: **and we need to mobilize in hospitals to prevent a wave of critical cases that would overwhelm intensive care units.** And so starting immediately, we must all be responsible for our behavior in light of an unprecedented and rapidly evolving situation. #COVIDー19
28x/JS: The prime minster appealed to the civic sense of French men and women—a call for calm, serenity, seriousness, commensurate to the gravity of the moment. And so it is absolutely imperative that you heed official directives... #COVID19
29x/ JS: which will be given by regional health authorities, hospital doctors, primary care doctors, depending on the local epidemiological situation, which could be v. severe, with an intense circulation, intermediate, or just at the beginning, as in some areas. #COVIDー19
30x/JS: What are we advising? For the entire population: starting this evening, apply all the preventive measures and make sure others apply them, too. That famous “social distancing” of a meter between you and others must be respected. DRASTICALLY REDUCE ALL CONTACT #COVIDー19
31x/JS: **No unnecessary meetings. No unnecessary travel. Work remotely as much as possible. All schools will be closed starting Monday and you must limit all non-indispensable activities.** #COVIDー19 @MinSoliSante
32x/JS: For people who are fragile, sick, or older than 70: STAY INSIDE YOUR HOMES. Do not receive visitors. Only leave if it is absolutely essential. DO NOT HAVE CONTACT WITH CHILDREN. #COVIDー19
33x/JS: If you are not seriously ill, stay home for a week until you’re better. Do not come into contact w/others. If you need to, call your primary care doctor or have a remote consultation. Your partner, or children, who live with you, must also stay inside w/you. #COVIDー19
34x/JS: You should monitor your clinical progress. Do not self-medicate ("vous ne prenez pas d'automedication"), do not take anti-inflammatories w/o consulting a doctor. Consult your doctor before taking anything. #COVIDー19
35x/ JS: **If your condition is worsening, if you’re having trouble breathing, call 15.** #COVIDー19 @MinSoliSante
36x/ JS: I call on health professionals to mobilize rapidly at the highest levels across the country. They have been doing remarkable work in cities and across the country and we should all be extremely civil and use common sense to give them priority to masks. ENDS #COVIDー19
