Deconfinement in France: reasonable, timely, fair?

The choice of French governors is to allow French people to leave their homes, from Monday 11 May 2020.

It is time for the return of French schoolchildren and that of adult workers from France, in situ. The question is now as follows: what to do reasonably according to current knowledge?

The knowledge, the parameters and criteria for a return to the field in France are still very vague. Shouldn't we wait for real solutions before giving the green light? School children ask themselves the same questions as their parents, they are far from being stupid, but they trust adults. Adults with limited information, adult parents, adult workers, frail adults: citizens keep asking themselves questions. And these are the same questions that the leaders of France are asking. Almost the same questions that researchers ask, of any nationality: what do we really know to allow this deconfinement?

Schools, professional circles, transportation, businesses, places of cultures: all in the same boat. Should we go back to life “normal”, the usual way of our life before?

Temperature measurement, gel hydroalcoolique, masks, safety distance… measures that may not be sufficient in schools as well, than in the street or in shops. More, as it stands, is it not better to stay at home rather than taking transport, to pursue the precautionary principle? Buy to live, Yes; spend on non-vital needs, move, to go to his place of work or study, non, not all and not necessarily. Nicolas Hulot presented another way of proceeding, with “the fair exchange”, to listen to in the Great Interview from France Inter, the 6 May 2020. Another world, listening to citizens and their real needs.

The time has come to act and learn from our mistakes

The former Minister of Ecology, Nicolas Hulot, calls thanks to its eponymous foundation and with the World, Brut and on France Inter, Wednesday morning and in a forum titled “The time has come” at“just exchange” to replace the“free exchange” who“jeopardizes our own future”.  “Between protectionism which could resemble nationalism and the neo-liberalism which has committed the excesses and the horrors that we know, there is a third way. In the fair exchange, we can exchange our virtues instead of exchanging our vices”. A deconfinement and a different world are described with 100 principles and the five proposals to be developed in a collective impetus.

In doubt, in terms of health; you must abstain if you can and above all, the economy has to move on

To make a new start in this polluted world only by the coronavirus-COVID19, thinking should start from the human before the economy. Alas, France has not taken this path and the French are not fooled: the state pushes all citizens to work. Therefore, he suggests to parents, indirectly and without taking responsibility, to drop their children off at school to allow them to go to their place of work. Or, for those who can, why not stay in telework? The real question, in these times of risky exit, isn't it to wonder: how to think better, by uniting so as not to be afraid of the future? Why don't we wait for certainties instead of putting citizens, including children, in the arena?

Human sacrifice, after ecological sacrifice in the name of the current economy is it worth it? Too many questions, too much uncertainty, too many health risks…

The deconfinement in France has not been given enough length and thought. Nothing has been sufficiently anticipated and that is the reason why this country that is France, this luxury country, of liberties, has become that of irresponsibility… There is still time to recover, after previous mistakes. The economy should no longer justify decision-making. The economy no longer has the right to decide for humans. It should not be the only reason for the deconfinement, all-round, after the ravages of the COVID virus 19, who has certainly not said his last word. It's health, and only risk management, which should allow everyone to make their decision. Live, is to take certain risks, but they have to be measured. It is not going out without knowing, in uncertainty. Resuming the usual course of the river should not be followed in the same way as before. In doubt, abstain and say you don't know, instead of pretending that everything is fine. And make your decisions for you, but also for others. Let those who can, want and have to hit the road, let them do it, but in any event. “What is virtuous and what is toxic?” blows us Nicolas Hulot by evoking the return to normal life…

Take time, give yourself time to think

There is no urgency, you just have to take your time and ask yourself, before making a decision. Ask yourself the right questions and act according to your conscience and the will to change your life. Our leaders did not use the time they had to make the right decisions, so don't imitate them. The time is there to weigh the arguments and learn from them. Now is the time to make the right decisions for you, it's time to ask and answer the right questions. It is not for others to decide for us, but it's up to us to act. Now.

The world is led by the richest, by the most powerful, minority and unrepresentative. It's the end of this world. A better world by definition must emerge.

Valérie Doulevant