In Paris, “priority must be given to health”. This Friday March 13, 2020 Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced exceptional measures to answer the health crisis caused by the coronavirus epidemic. A pandemic that is spreading in Paris but also around the globe. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, the same day as for the ban of public gatherings of over 100 people, the Parisian daily life will change to save the public health.
Of course, all these measures are set to curb the propagation of the coronavirus epidemic. Among all the measures announced, we’ll mostly remember the effective closure of all schools, as the French President announced it, as well as all the establishments taking care of elderly people in Paris, and “arrangements to greet the RATP staff to make sure public transportation run smoothly” and the mobilization of “all municipal services in town to slow the propagation down”.
At the same time, Anne Hidalgo adds that parent-student associations have been gathered to talk about “the care arrangements that support them the best”. The idea is to limit the “viral aspect” as Paris mayor clarifies. Therefore, “all perishable food already ordered by crèches will be donated to associations”. Moreover, “about thirty maternal and child protection centers will be mobilized” to help “raising awareness about the most vulnerable people”. A “personal contact will all parents have been made by text today and will be sustained in the coming weeks” Anne Hidalgo announces.
As for closures, Paris Mayor has also decided to close “top art universities, conservatoires, community centers, and libraries’ youth sections” and suspend “all gatherings of elderly or young people in Paris until further notice”. The climate walk planned this weekend is directly targeted by these statements. A “precise counting work on the concerned places in Paris” is currently going according to what she said.
Speaking of taking care of the youngest, the city hall plans “to open 28 crèches in all premises to welcome by presentation of the professional card the mobilized agents’ children”, a decision made in compliance with the Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris director general Martin Hirsch. According to the speech, it’s a “necessity for these agents who take care of Parisians’ health” while these openings “represent over 2300 places in daycare that are available” moreover a work to “identify public services necessary to pursue work as recommended by the president” is also planned.
Coronavirus could be also fought through communication and prevention. The mayor has announced that all “billboard in town, informative boards, social networks and medias will be working in real time to keep Parisians up to date on the situation”. As for car drivers, good news “residential parking will be free of charge starting this Monday”. These health measures are expected to curb the coronavirus outbreak while the country is getting closer to stage 3 of the epidemic propagation.
