Lehendakari, Emmanuel Macron, has explained to citizens the harsh picture of the evolution of the pandemic in the French State: "Although the efforts made so far have been useful, we have to acknowledge that they have not been sufficient. (...) COVID-19 is taking today in France a speed that even the most pessimistic forecasts had not noticed. Yesterday, 527 of our neighbours and neighbours died. Yesterday in the ICUs we had about 3,000 people admitted, that is, more than half of those we can welcome. (...) In summer we defined our strategy, which consisted of living with the virus and controlling its spread using the capabilities of testing, warning and protecting. That is what we have done since August. Have we done well? No. But we have done everything we can. (...) In the proliferation of tests we had to go faster from the beginning. (...) Now, like all the countries around us, we have been overcome by the speed that has suddenly reached the epidemic, a virus that seems to be accelerating as winter accelerates. In Europe we are all surprised by the evolution of the virus."

He continued: "The second wave of COVID-19 is gaining ground and we know this is going to be more deadly than the first." (…) Whatever we do, by mid-November there will be 9,000 people in ICUs and if we do not firmly paralyse the spread of contagion, our hospitals will be very saturated. (...) We will never accept to let hundreds of thousands of our citizens die. Those are not our values. And we're not going to do that. A second option would be for people in risk groups to be confined, but this path is not feasible at the moment either. Confining only elderly people is ineffective, as the virus would move faster and more severely. (...) On the other hand, some are referring to the expansion of the reception capacity of our ICUs to avoid the harsh measures that must now be taken, and on that we are also, but we do not respond to the emergency".

Following these arguments, Emmanuel Macron summarised the measures that will be in force between Friday morning and 1 December this year. Within this period – which the situation, which the president also mentioned, has not been reassured in the past – the citizens will be confined to their homes throughout the French State. Unlike the March lockdown, on this occasion the classes will remain open and the workplaces and the visits to the residences will not be interrupted. Moreover, as in last spring, citizens will be able to go to work or study, go to a medical appointment, help a family member, buy or "wind" in the surroundings. In order to carry out all of them, papers must be provided to mark the objective of the exit.

During this period, accommodation and restaurants shall remain closed. Meeting with close relatives has been banned in the French State, but there have also been public meetings. Teleworking will be implemented in workplaces wherever possible and higher education will be continued on the Internet. On the contrary, public offices will remain open, just as cemeteries are open. Borders are also opened with the other countries of the European Union.

Lehendakari, Macron, has promised lines of support for companies and workers affected by these measures. The Foreign Minister, Jean Castex, has announced that he will give all the details on Thursday afternoon.