'France is with you': Macron sends 'message of solidarity' to India amid COVID-19 crisis

French President Emmanuel Macron on April 23 showed solidarity to India’s fight against the second COVID-19 wave as the country reported over three lakh cases in the last 24 hours for the second consecutive day on Friday. In a statement shared by french Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain on Twitter, Macron said that France is with India in the struggle to stem the coronavirus infections and noted that the disease “spares no one.” The French President also said that the country is ready to assist India in any form of support during these grim times.

Macron’s message came as India reported 3,32,730 new COVID-19 cases with 2,263 in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry’s statement on April 23. Meanwhile, India's caseload has surpassed 1.62 crores while the fatalities have mounted to 1,86,920. On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also acknowledged that the second COVID-19 wave hit the nation like a storm and has swept the entire nation. Several hospitals are battling with a lack of oxygen and hospital beds as well as essential medicines. In the wake of the COVID-19 surge in India, several nations have heightened restrictions for travellers from India.

10-day Quarantine For Travellers From India

Macron’s remarks showcasing support came after French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal on April 21 says that France will be imposing a 10-day quarantine for travellers arriving from India in the upcoming days to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The move of restricting travel from India came just days after France announced the suspension of flights from Brazil to protect the European nation from P1 or Brazilian variant of novel coronavirus. It also announced quarantines for passengers from Argentina, Chile and South Africa. 

"For certain countries where the health situation is very serious and worrisome in particular, we will again tighten the screws," Attal said after a cabinet meeting on the pandemic response. "India will be added to this list," he said, before adding that the full details of the travel restrictions will be unveiled in the coming days.

Image credits: AP/PTI