President Emmanuel Macron has just announced the extension of the month-old French lockdown for almost another month to 11 May.

He says France has "faced up to" and "checked" the epidemic but not yet defeated it. Hospitals in Pario area and eastern France (by far the worst afficted areas) are "saturated". But from 11 May he promises, life will start to return to nornal. Many schools will reopen.

But bars, restaurants, hotels, festivals, sport etc will remain frozen after 11 May for an unspecified period, Macron states. In an attempt to prepare for the relaxation of restrictions, testing will be increased and concentrated on the elderly and vulnerable.

Macron promises that shortly - nothing specific - there will be enough general purpose masks for every French person. He expects there use to become universal at that stage.

When will this be all over? In all honesty and humility, Macron says, it is impossible to say. Vaccines are several months away at least. Treatment? France has veen experimenting with medicines/drugs more than any other country. Nothing clear yet.

We will have to live with this virus "for several more months," Macron says. A second wave has started in Asia.

He thanks France for is solidarity and discipline. He admits there have been errors and that France was not full ready. But he says that the "certain idea" that France has of itself (De Gaulle's phrase) has been proved to remain intact.

We have learned that we are vulnerable, Macron says. Now is the time to look at things in new ways not just repeat our old attitudes and formulae. "Me first of all," Macron says.

"Look after yourselves. Keep well. Vive La France."

Not a bad performance. Admitting mistakes was good and necessary. But he also rightly pointed to French successes. He was less bombastic/military than in previous TV addresses. A little too technical at times. But also more intimate/human than he usually manages.

The extension of the lockdown to 11 May was about in line with expectations. He seemed to believe it was a firm date. The economy would reopen them. The surprise - and a blow to bars, restaurants etc - was the warning that the would remain closed for longer than that.