Macron shuts all schools in France until further notice

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the French public late Thursday, announcing that all schools and universities in France would be closed from Monday until further notice and that those over age 70 should stay home as much as possible.

Macron said that France’s borders would remain open and that any future closures would not be imposed without coordination with the European Union. But he urged every French citizen to make sacrifices in confronting what he called the most serious epidemic the country has faced in a century.

In recent months, Macron’s government has been the target of a slew of violent demonstrations against his reforms to France’s famously generous retirement system.

But on Thursday, Macron — often criticized in the French press for seeming aloof — promised a generous slew of provisions for those whose lives were most likely to be disrupted by the coronavirus. Chief among them was waiving penalties for late March tax payments.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/03/12/coronavirus-live-updates/

[Pachamama]

1. The US needs to do the same -NOW

Based on numbers I have been tracking, both France and Spain are on the same course as Italy and about a week -2 weeks behind Italy before they are where Italy is today.

The US is 2 1/2 weeks behind Italy and about a week behind Spain and France.

Macron is doing the absolute correct thing before it explodes.

My Pediatric Physician friend at UCSF said she thinks while the kids aren’t showing signs or being affected as severely, she thinks they are possible “super spreaders”.

[Amaryllis]

2. "any future closures would not be imposed without coordination with the European Union."

That is how we should be working. Coordination...Not surprise announcements.