PM: Then we'll contact-trace the heck out of everyone who tests positive. It can only work if everyone participates fully, so in each department we'll have a contact-tracing brigade. They'll be following up on all the contacts. Protection, testing, isolation.
Isolation is key. It's not a punishment or a sanction. It's sheltering for all of us, and people must be supportive of the isolated. Our objective is to base this on people's own sense of civic duty. Civic duty is something people like. Our doctors say so.
People who test positive can either isolate at home, or in a hotel that we'll requisition for them. To be most effective, we would like to trace you on your phone. That would only be an addition--it's not as important as your civic duty.
But especially in dense urban areas, it would really help, because we can't contact-trace a whole subway train, for example. WIth the app, we could do it more easily. Your identity wouldn't be revealed. We know this makes you worried about your freedom and privacy.
These are completely legit questions, especially because we don't even know if we can make this work. That's why we have to vote on this. If the app works, whenever it's ready, we'll have a specific debate and a vote on it. Until then, step by step, we'll lift the lockdown.
Slowly, slowly--region by region. We can't risk a second wave. If on May 7, for example, the cases weren't going down, if the indicators aren't right, we can't lift the lockdown. Believe me, I want the experts to tell us, "It's okay, we can do it,"
but if they can't say it, we can't do it. It all depends on the numbers. Let me say solemnly before parliament, these are uncertainties that should lead all of us to be highly disciplined.
If we can begin on May 11, we move to the next phase on June 2.
If we can begin on May 11, we move to the next phase on June 2.
