"Someone at the start of the 21st century does not think like someone at the start of the 19th century," he said. "Our history is our history and we accept it."
Credit insurer Euler Hermes estimates that the EU is now seven weeks adrift of its target to have 70 percent of the population vaccinated by the end of the summer, compared with five weeks in February.
On Monday, shortly after announcing that France would pause its use of the AstraZeneca shot, Macron said decisions would doubtless have to be taken in the next few days.
A nationwide nightly curfew has been in place since mid-December and some regions in the north and southeast of the country are already under weekend lockdown.
Macron and Le Pen would easily qualify for the runoff after picking up about 25% each in the first round scheduled for April 2022, far ahead of other rivals. Macron would go on to defeat Le Pen with 53% of the votes versus 47%.
"Centre-left voters are disappointed, that's for sure," one minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.
A survey by Ipsos-Steria in early February showed that her chances would be significantly boosted by a mass stayaway by left-wing voters in the event she faced Macron.
"We will still face hard times, it is true, but for the first time in months, the return to more normal living conditions is in sight," Attal told reporters following a meeting of the French cabinet.
"It is neither a distant nor uncertain horizon - it is an horizon that is getting closer and closer. We hope maybe from mid-April, and we are preparing for it," he said.
"I stand in solidarity with the three countries that have had their diplomats expelled," Macron told a news conference following a virtual meeting of the France-German Defence and Security Council.
"We are in a race against time against the virus," said Macron, adding that his views on the matter were shared by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU President Ursula Von Der Leyen.
We, as Europeans, need to be more efficient on this matter. I know this is also the intention of Chancellor Merkel and President Von Der Leyen.
It said Macron told a media briefing that included the Saudi-owned channel that a very short time remained to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon.
Europe 1 said Brigitte Macron tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 24. It said she presented no major symptoms and then had two further tests on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 which proved negative.
President Macron himself tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 17
Macron, 43, can now end his quarantine after he self-isolated for seven days at the presidential retreat of La Lanterne, close to the Palace of Versailles.
Macron suffered headaches, a dry cough and tiredness for several days and his health condition improved on Wednesday.
Macron has been has been self-isolating at Versailles, and BFM TV this week broadcast live images of him chairing a government ministerial meeting via an audiovisual link.
Britain says the talks are stuck on two issues - the so-called level playing field and fishing - and has repeatedly said the EU has to budge or there will be no deal.