Containment, they testify: “I am afraid that we will all come out at the same time”

How long will the lockdown still last? Will it change the habits of the French? What can we learn from this crisis? Laurence, 50, owner of the delicatessen “Le Garde-bien manger”, confined with her husband and two daughters in Paris, testifies.

“It seems so complicated to protect yourself from the virus: it is everywhere”

“I think the lockdown won’t end until May 4 or 5, best case scenario. The government will not let everyone out at once. In my opinion, he will test the population and first take out the people who have been infected, since they will have developed the specific antibodies to the virus. However, if it happened like that, I don’t think it would lead to excesses in terms of surveillance: it would be too complicated to manage, and the population would oppose abusive measures.

I’m still afraid that we will all come out at the same time, that everyone will party, get together, and that there will be a new wave a month after the end of confinement. It seems so complicated to protect yourself from the virus: it is everywhere. This also applies to the resumption of travel. There are countries that haven’t developed Covid-19 too much yet, but why wouldn’t they also have an epidemic in some time?

“We were taken by surprise”

I hope that the health crisis will serve as a lesson to us and that France will be ready for the next one. There, we were taken by surprise. At the same time, I tell myself that in terms of hospital equipment, it’s difficult to prepare for everything; this time the virus affects the lungs, but perhaps the next pandemic will attack another organ. On the other hand, I think that we could react more quickly by calling on the army and the private hospital even earlier in the crisis. Any further help is welcome.

“I really see a return to local commerce”

After confinement, it would be good for everyone to keep the good practices developed in terms of cleanliness. But, without falling into paranoia, so that we start having physical contact again without fear. Also, it is important that the crisis shed more light on the situation of nurses: they need to be better paid and more recognized. We must also realize that our trade and industry should not depend so much on other countries; we need to be more independent, that we rely more on local production, on local trade.

Personally, I’m going to order fewer products abroad for my delicatessen, even though I already do so very little. Besides, despite the confinement, I made the same figure as in March 2019. For me, it’s quite revealing: I haven’t lost any customers. On the one hand, because the desire to turn to short circuits is very present, but also because people want to avoid supermarkets at the moment. Also, since the confinement, I am mainly bought alcohol and prepared meals – which is not necessarily the case normally – because people are not used to cooking two meals a day. I really see a return to local commerce, which could continue after the crisis.

“Containment is an opportunity to strengthen ties”

With confinement, I discovered calm in Paris. The city is much more enjoyable without a car; I hope people will think about other modes of transportation. I also think it was important for some families to get together, especially those where the parents work a lot and only see their children briefly in the evening. At home too, we spend more time together: we watch series as a family, we cook. Confinement is an opportunity to strengthen ties; as long as it lasts afterwards.”