PARIS, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The atmosphere of the second lockdown is indeed different from the atmosphere at the beginning of the first one in March. The streets of Paris, the first lockdown, were empty. But the second time, on the contrary, since Friday, we have met many cars and taxis on the roads of Paris and the Paris region, many cyclists and scooters, and even many pedestrians on the roads of Paris.
The mobile market of the Bastille on Sunday (Boulevard Richard-Lenoir).
In the mobile market in Paris's Bastille, the vendors there do not feel the atmosphere of the lockdown at all. In this Sunday's mobile market, they have almost as many customers as on a normal Sunday, and everyone buys food in the market as usual.
Valéry, 48, who was holding a large bag of apples, said: "The number is a little smaller than usual, maybe because some people have not returned from Halloween holidays." Christophe, 69, a retired history professor, was surprised to find that "there were more people queuing up in front of the two or three stalls he had frequented before than before." “
Almost without exception, customers who come to buy groceries enter the market wearing masks. "It's different from the first lockdown," said nearby residents Justina and Raphaël, a couple in their thirties, who all carefully wore masks that made them feel less dangerous. Raphaël said: "Another difference is that they can go to work and the children can go to school. "I'm a musician in orchestra, and I can rehearse during lockdown."
Theo, a 30-year-old engineer, said: "There are a lot of inconsistencies in the blocking measures. To move around Paris as you please, just fill out the proof of absence again, and you can make up a reason. I don't understand why there was no more control in the second ban. I returned to Paris from Brittany on Saturday and I haven't been subjected to any lockdown-related checks since..."
Gaëlle, 34, took advantage of this vulnerability to go out... A little more travel than she had to travel. "I had to walk, I had to breathe, to make sure I wasn't locked up," the young woman assured. I always wear a mask except for running, and I have to prove going out two or three times a day. We must continue to live..."
Paradoxically, the latest survey data shows that there is a difference between young and old compared to what was observed in March. Older people are more worried about health risks than younger people, with young people thinking first about their career prospects and worrying about dropping out of school or not being able to enter the job market. The feeling of a "new generation of sacrifices" is indeed beginning to emerge among young French people. They know the epidemic will last a long time, even if nearly half of young people are afraid of being infected.
71% of French people accepted a second lockdown, including during year-end celebrations. But among the younger group under the age of 25, there is a possibility that the year-end holidays will remain banned: 39% do not want to hear the news. In the Paris region, the proportion reaches 35 per cent.
Last night, French Prime Minister Jean Castex warned the French on TF1 that "the more we respect all measures, the sooner we will get out of the epidemic, and show that we must think in the long run".