dmu

I heard the same speculation yesterday evening, but was waiting for an Official Decision before announcing it!

G-J-B

Surprisingly France does seem to be way behind with its vaccination programme. A few of the unknowns at the moment is how long does the vaccination last? The companies suggest at least a year, but I wonder if it won't end up as a yearly injection like the flu shots. The other big question is does it just mask the symptoms - i.e. even if you have the vaccination can you still carry and spread the virus, this seems to be another big unknown. Fingers crossed by the end of the year, we might all return some semblance of normality.

dmu

The PM will be holding a press conference tomorrow, Thursday, and most observers are expecting him to announce a general 18h00 curfew in the whole of France. Apart from attempting to reduce the circulation of the virus, it would also prevent unfair competition from neighbouring départements where shops can remain open until 20h00.... (cf. Ardèche and Drôme).

KJMW

My wife also raised the question of having the vaccination and yet still being able to spread the virus. May own take on it is that having had the vaccination it would seem reasonable that the bodies defences would effectively 'kill' the disease should it be 'invaded'. Whether that's right or not medically speaking I don't know but it seems a reasonable assumption. In which case no spreading of the disease would be possible. As for annual vaccinations I think that is a strong possibility but almost certainly combined with flu vaccine which is already a combination of various flu viruses. That being the case it wouldn't present a problem.
As for being behind in vaccinations, well it has to be said that France is embarrassingly slow. So much so it has become a national scandal with the government making all sorts of excuses for being tardy! I'm quite optimistic that the coming months will be much improved and life will return to near , if not, normal. I also think France has not yet seen the worst of the pandemic thanks to Xmas and the New Year and its reluctance to deal with lockdowns effectively. Even now there is only piecemeal restrictions which I don't think are particularly effective. Given that they increase the 'piecemeal' strategy on a regular basis rather supports that I feeL. In the meantime………!

G-J-B

KJMW, that is what some of the experts suspect - that the virus would be weakened and killed off, so wouldn't likely be a problem, but I suppose (and this is just my own non-scientific guesswork!) there might be an initial stage where the person with the vaccination is infectious, albeit for a shorter period of time. With so many vaccinations going out across the world now, I guess the answers will come in soon.

France seems to be doing better than some other countries right now. I was grateful for the freedom to travel in December/January, and took a needed 6,5 hour journey and a week away. In that time the only socialising was with the host of the accommodation to collect the keys, with masks and at a distance. Ideally I really need to travel again in February (fingers crossed), but again it will be in isolation, so I am not hoping for a lockdown personally.
During my return, the 1,500 rave party took place near Nantes. The next day on the return journey, the traffic came to a rather dangerous and abrupt stop. I thought maybe they'd been an accident - we were all forced into a single lane and into a service station where there were dozens of gendarmes, dogs and vehicles (including drug testing units), and a lot of young people pulled to one side. As I was just north of Nantes I'm guessing it was the aftermath from that. Fortunately I didn't seem to fit their profile.
Another side-effect of the curfews is that some of the traffic on the roads are positively dangerous in a bid to get home in time. At one stage I saw a lot of 75 registration plates, on the stretch to return to Paris, and they were driving like the clappers. Even on the rural roads, as evening drew in, there were some crazed drivers eager to get to their destination.

KJMW

Another announcement today due by the P.M. I suspect the 18.00hrs curfew to include more departments; i.e. another piecemeal offering in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus. It was interesting on the news this morning that the majority of the people are in favour a total lockdown! My view is that is what should happen. Abandon this curfew nonsense and appeal to people to behave properly, fat chance of that of course!! People behaving properly I mean!! I think we are heading for a total lockdown!

G-J-B

It's all conjecture at the moment, but I was expecting 18:00 curfew in all departments, but no lock downs and schools to remain open but with more measures put in place. Guess we'll see tonight, anything is possible.

dmu

Me, too. National 18h00 curfew, etc...
We'll know some time after the PM's introductory waffle at 18h00 this evening....

G-J-B

Haha, yes, there is a lot of waffle before we get to the minute or two of useful information, and then there's more waffle afterwards.

Tweedpipe

As you say, an awful lot of waffle. Official announcement being:
National curfew from Sat 16th Jan for at least 15 days. After that period, if Covid cases do not indicate a significant reduction, the possibility of a further confinement is envisaged.
Schools are to remain open until further notice with reinforced health protocol.

dmu

Add to that, for any one wishing to travel to France, negative tests must be presented before embarking on planes or boats, and, for travellers from non-EU countries, a Covid Test is necessary followed by 7-days' compulsory quarantine. It wasn't clear whether this latter test will be made upon arrival, even if the non-EU travellers have been tested negative before leaving their country of departure.... Also, no mention of travellers driving within the EU....
Those with children will know the new measures in schools and Universities.
Those over 75 will be able to make an appointment for a vaccination as from tomorrow, and younger ones who are vulnerable due to chronic renal insufficiency, on-going cancer treatment, trisomy 21, ...., must consult their MT if they want to be vaccinated.
Other Ministers had their say, but the above are the main announcements concerning expats.
Edited after the JT which clarified: Travellers from the UK (and other non-EU countries) must present a negative test before departure, then must quarantine for 7 days upon arrival in France, after which a second Test must be made.

KJMW

More piecemeal restrictions. I feel sure that by compressing the time people can , in effect, be together shopping etc. then the risk of transmission is greater. I wonder why the government believe that forcing people to mix in greater numbers works! To draw a somewhat ridiculous conclusion: If everyone is restricted to just a couple of hours a day then you wouldn't be able to move in a store because of the crush of people! It may be that the government is trying to stop mass gatherings like raves etc. but curfews for those people simply haven't worked.

As for the vaccination: Whilst there will be a telephone number to make a reservation for a jab I rather suspect that an appointment won't be for the next day or even for several days!!! Plus where to get it? Given the performance up to now it wouldn't surprise me if the vaccination sites are too far for people to travel too. Moan, moan moan!!!! Fortunately I am, in these circumstances, a very patient person.

dmu

https://www.sante.fr/centres-vaccination-covid.html
Hérault is well endowed with Centres - I'm lucky enough to have one in my nearest town, but it looks as though you'll have to go to Bayonne?
As said, unless you're 75, or suffer from one of the disorders mentioned above, you must be even more patient than those in the top-priority category....

Tweedpipe

I agree, when those nutters decide to gather in masses, a pawlty fine of 135€ is hardly likely to stop them.
I'm sure that if any of the nutters were even aware of that paltry sum they would laugh and say that having a rave party is well worth the risk. Now if the government really wanted to keep us all as safe as possible, they should have broadcast nationwide that a huge fine would be imposed - something which would be a significant deterrent.
Incidently the government justified the latest curfew decision by stating that in the first 15 departments where the curfew was implemented at 6pm on Jan 2, the increase in the number of new covid cases is two to three times lower than in other metropolitan departments. Should be interesting to see in 15days time if similar favourable downward trends are reported. If not "bonjour reconfinement".......

Annetje

Another lockdown coming up this week ?