COVID-19 Coronavirus: France, the epidemic seen by the media. “300,000 children without school”. La Croix, “fifth most-affected country”

France, too, begins to stop as a consequence of the outbreak: the government announced emergency measures last night to curb the spread of COVID-19, as reported cases in the country have now exceeded 1,000. “Over 300,000 children are left without school today” is the headline in the Figaro. The measures taken also include a ban on all gatherings of more than 1,000 people, with exceptions for competitions, exhibitions and public transportation. This delicate measure has been taken just a few days before the municipal elections (15 March). On other websites like Le Monde or Liberation, however, there is almost no coverage of the spread of COVID-19 in France. Liberation writes “the EU loses its mind over Coronavirus” referring to the decision by the President of the EU Parliament to hold the plenary in Brussels rather than in Strasbourg, calling it “a measure whose reasons cannot be understood”. The website of Le Monde speaks of financial markets, oil, and the “COVID-19 impact worldwide”. It is only in the section dedicated to politics that there are reports of “several infected people in France's National Assembly”, namely four MPs and two employees at the Palais Bourbon. “Live” coverage of Coronavirus cases is instead provided by the website of the Catholic daily La Croix, with reports on cases across the world and in France that has now become “the fifth most-affected country”.
Valentina Bombelli