CORONAVIRUS FRANCE. Faced with an 8th epidemic wave in France, wearing a mask is again recommended in transport, according to Covars, the new Scientific Council. What other measures? At work ? At school ? For contact cases? The tests ? Current protocols.

[Updated September 30, 2022 at 12:24 p.m.] In front of an 8th wave of Covid who ' don't worry us ', according to Brigitte Autran, president of the new Committee for monitoring and anticipating health risks (Covars), which replaced the Scientific Council, on FranceInfo . Nevertheless, she insists that ' We really need start wearing the mask again in transport '. Bivalent vaccines, targeted to the variant Omicron , will arrive from Monday, October 3 in pharmacies. Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 has been on the rise since mid-September, after several weeks of improvement. The reproduction rate is again greater than 1. The incidence rate is approaching 400 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (+27% in one week). Regarding isolation measures, positive people must always isolate themselves, a little longer if they are not vaccinated against Covid or if they have an incomplete vaccination schedule. . A school, the Ministry of Education established, in connection with the health authorities, a graduation including a pedestal of measures and three protocol levels (green, orange, red). Since the start of the school year, it is the 'base' level which is in force, therefore no restrictions for students (no masque , pass the distance ...) and face-to-face course for all levels.

What are the anti-Covid measures this fall in the face of the 8th wave?

After validation by the Constitutional Council, the law ending the exceptional regimes created during the Covid pandemic was promulgated on July 31, 2022. Thus, since August 1, 2022:

• End of health pass obligation in places where it could still be required (hospital, EHPAD, etc.)
• End of the obligation to wear a mask, but it remains recommended in transport in particular.
• End of possible use of confinement and curfew
• Dissolution of the Scientific Council Covid-19 replaced by a 'Committee for monitoring and anticipating health risks', placed under the ministers of health and research.

► Measures that persist or are in force:

• Screening people cas contacts and/or showing symptoms Covid.
• Isolation for positive people au Covid.
• Sanitary certificate of travel. The government can request a negative screening test on boarding towards French territory and for overseas travel. This border test may be required until March 31, 2023 for persons over 12 years of age before boarding for French territory in the event of the appearance of a dangerous variant in a country, or in the event of a dangerous variant, it may apply to travelers from overseas territories, or to these regions in the event of a risk of saturation of the local hospital system.
• Prolonged epidemic follow-up. Epidemic monitoring tools remain in place: SI-DEP , the national screening information system which centralizes all test results, is extended until June 30, 2023, and Contact Covid, which provides follow-up and support for infected people and their contact cases, is extended until January 31, 2023.

What are the measures for wearing a mask?

To date, wearing a mask is no longer compulsory in France. However, to limit the spread of the 8th wave of Covid, wearing a mask is once again encouraged in transport , insisted Brigitte Autran, president of the new Committee for monitoring and anticipating health risks (Covars) Friday, September 30 on franceinfo. ' It must become some kind of civic gesture '.

Wearing a mask is strongly recommended :

• in closed and crowded places and public transport (metro, train, bus, plane, etc.);
• in large gatherings, including outdoors, for people who are fragile due to their age or their pathologies;
• in the presence of elderly, immunocompromised or chronically ill people;
• for fragile people (elderly or immunocompromised...).

It is moreover strongly recommended in hospitals and for the elderly. And if symptomatic and up to 7 days if in at-risk contact status or released from isolation.

What are the Covid measures at school?

To back to school , no more protocol at work or at school . The Ministry of Education established, in connection with the health authorities, a graduation including a pedestal of measures and three protocol levels (green, orange, red). For September it is the 'base' level that will be in force so no restrictions for students (no mask, no distance ...) and face-to-face course for all levels.

What are the measures for the 4th dose of Covid vaccine?

The second booster dose is open to:

• people aged 18 to 60 years old at risk of severe form
• women pregnant from the 1st trimester of pregnancy
• people in those around vulnerable people or immunocompromised
• the elderly 60 years and older who are 6 months or more away from their first booster (or last covid infection)
• people of over 80 years old
• residents in accommodation establishments for dependent elderly people (Ehpad) and in long-term care units (USLD)
• immunocompromised patients
• to all healthcare professionals , regardless of their age or state of health
• to all of employees in the health and medico-social sector l,  home help working with vulnerable people, medical transport professionals , as well as to firefighters

The bivalent vaccines, targeted on the Omicron variant, arrive from Monday, October 3 in pharmacies.

What are the measures for isolation?

For positive people with a complete and up-to-date vaccination schedule and for children under 12 years old : Isolation is for 7 (full) days from the date of onset of symptoms or date of positive test collection.

What are the Covid measures for contact cases?

A person in contact with a person tested positive for Covid-19 must be notified by the positive case or by Health Insurance (by SMS or by telephone). There is more isolation instructions for contact cases and the test instructions are identical regardless of your vaccination status. The contact case must perform a drug test  (RT- PCR or antigen test or self-test) 2 days after being notified by Health Insurance or by the positive person .

What are the measures for travel?

Since August 1, 2022, the border health control system has been lifted, in accordance with the law ending the exceptional regimes created to fight the epidemic linked to covid-19. Travelers don't have no more formalities to complete before their arrival in France, in mainland France and overseas, and presentation of the health pass can no longer be required, regardless of the country or zone of origin. Likewise, no more justification of the reason for a trip departing from France, in mainland France and overseas, no certificate of leaving the territory is required by the French authorities to go to another country.

Covid-19: International travel, Ministry of the Interior.

MesConseilsCovid.Gouv

Source journaldesfemmes.fr