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COVID-19 RULES

What new Covid measures could the French government announce on Friday?

A high level meeting pulling together French President Emmanuel Macron, government ministers and scientific advisors will meet on Friday to discuss possible new measures for tackling the Covid pandemic.

French hospitals are under increasing pressure from the fifth wave of the virus.
French hospitals are under increasing pressure from the fifth wave of the virus. The government may announce new measures on Friday. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

An afternoon meeting of France’s Health Defence Council on Friday could herald new Covid restrictions, just as schools are breaking up in France. The meeting had been planned for next week but has been brought forward in what many commentators see as a sign of urgency. 

Earlier in the week, Health Minister Olivier Véran predicted that around 4,000 people would be lying in French intensive care units over the festive period whilst the government spokesman Gabriel Attal warned that new measures could be announced. 

The big announcement by the French government on Thursday was of course the new rules on travel between France and the UK but it looks like more announcements will be made on Friday.

So what kind of measures could be brought in just before Christmas?

More travel restrictions

After the restrictions introduced for the UK on Thursday the French government may also introduce further travel restrictions perhaps even on entry from EU countries. Certain countries like Denmark and Norway have seen huge spikes in infections caused by the Omicron variant. 

France may try to limit entry from these countries in a bid to delay a similar spike in France. 

Booster dose acceleration  

The French government has been trying to accelerate the uptake of vaccination – and booster doses in particular. 

On Thursday, Véran floated the idea of reducing the mandatory waiting time between second and third doses to four months rather than t he current limit of five.

“It is an idea I find interesting,” he told French media, but said it was not his decision alone to make.

READ ALSO How to get a Covid-19 booster dose appointment in France

New Christmas holiday guidelines 

It is likely that the government will adopt the recommendations of the Scientific Council which were made public earlier in the week. 

This would see new guidelines for Christmas gatherings. 

“For family reunions such as Christmas meals, it is recommended that the number of attendees is limited, that vulnerable people have received a booster dose, that rooms are regularly aired and that self-tests are conducted the day of the gathering or that a antigen test is completed on the eve or on the day of the event,” wrote the Council in a statement

READ ALSO Your questions answered on new travel rules between France and UK

On Thursday, Véran also added that families should take care to ensure that each person seated at a table has a reasonable degree of space between themselves. 

He insisted however that families would be able to celebrate Christmas together. It is likely that any announcements related to festive gatherings will be guidelines rather than legally enforced rules. 

In the lead up to Christmas, the government has already recommended that people avoid parties and social gatherings where mask wearing is difficult. Masks are currently obligatory in all indoors public spaces in France. 

Conditional amnesty for people using fake health passes 

Around 110,000 people in France are currently using fake health passes to avoid vaccination. This is currently punishable with a hefty fine. 

Véran wants those using fake passes to be able to get vaccinated and has recommended amnesty for those who want to do so. 

“For French people with fake passes, I think that there is a health emergency. I want us to be able to work towards a framework that would allow a ‘system of repenting’, that would let people with a fake pass follow the rules without punishment,” he told the National Assembly on Wednesday. 

“It is urgent that people get vaccinated and protected. We cannot stop people from getting vaccinated because they have a fake health pass.'”

Such a measure would not likely have a drastic measure in stemming the immediate spread of Covid over the Christmas period but would likely have long-term benefits. 

Free home testing kits

French media reports suggest that the government is planning to make Covid-19 home tests free, for vaccinated people. 

Covid tests have not been free since mid-October – except for vaccinated people, people showing symptoms and minors. 

The idea of making home testing free is to help people living in isolated areas, far from testing sites. The other logic behind the hypothetical move is simply to encourage people to get tested before family gatherings over the festive period. 

Self testing kits allow users to perform a nasal swab and analyse the results themselves. Pharmacies currently sell these kits for up to €5.20 

 

Vaccination for children

Earlier in the week, Véran suggested that Friday’s meeting would serve as a forum for discussing the vaccination of children aged between 5-11

Vulnerable children with chronic health conditions and other co-morbidities have been eligible for vaccination since December 15th. But it is unlikely that blanket vaccination of children aged 5-11 will be authorised tomorrow, before various scientific and ethics council have had the chance to examine the possibility further. 

No lockdown or curfew…

French health officials have previously described lockdowns as the most “barbaric” tool in the fight against Covid-19. 

Such a measure looks unlikely for now, with Véran telling MPs on Wednesday: “It is not the choice that we have made.”

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COVID-19

France scraps compulsory self-isolation after positive Covid test

France's public health body outlined how Covid-19 rules changed starting on February 1st, including an end to compulsory self-isolation after a positive test result.

France scraps compulsory self-isolation after positive Covid test

Starting on February 1st, Covid rules relaxed in France as the country brought an end to compulsory isolation for those who test positive for the virus.

However, those travelling from China to France will still be required to agree to a random screening upon arrival and to isolate in the case of a positive Covid-19 test result. Travellers aged 11 and over coming from China must also provide a negative test result (less tan 48 hours) prior to boarding and those aged six and over must agree to wear a mask on board flights. These regulations – which was set to last until January 31st – is set to remain in place until February 15th.

The French public health body (The Direction générale de la santé or DGS)  announced the change on Saturday in a decree published in the “Journal Officiel” outlining the various ways the body will loosen previous coronavirus restrictions.

READ MORE: What Covid rules and recommendations remain for visiting France?

Those who were in contact with someone who tested positive – ie a contact cases – will also no longer be required to take a test, though the public health body stressed that both testing after contact and isolating after receiving a positive test remain recommended.

Previously, even asymptomatic people who had been in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 were required to test on the second day after being notified that they were a “contact-case”.

These changes took effect on February 1st.

READ MORE: What changes in France in February 2023?

The DGS also said that website SI-DEP, which records test results, will remain in operation until June 30th, however starting in February it will only collect personal data with the express permission of the patient.

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Additionally, the French government announced that sick leave procedures for people with Covid-19 would return to normal starting February 1st – this means that those who test positive for Covid-19 now also have the three-day wait period before daily sick benefits are required to be paid, as is usually the case. Previously, people with Covid-19 could expect daily sick benefits to begin at the start of their sick leave period (arrêt maladie in French).  

READ MORE: How sick leave pay in France compares to other countries in Europe

Covid tests are still available on walk-in basis from most pharmacies are are free to people who are fully vaccinated and registered in the French health system. Unvaccinated people, or visitors to France, have to pay up to a maximum of €22 for an antigen test of €49 for a PCR test. 

If you recently tested positive for Covid-19 in France – or you suspect you may have contracted Covid-19 – you can find some information for how to proceed here.

In explaining the changes that began at the start of February, the French public health body also noted a drop in Covid-19 infections in the past month. As of January 30th, approximately 3,800 people in France had tested positive in the previous 24 hours for the coronavirus – which represents a decrease from the averages of 20,000 new cases per day about one month ago.

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