The President of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand.

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Jacques Witt / SIPA

The President of the National Assembly Richard Ferrand (LREM), "contact case" of Emmanuel Macron tested positive for Covid-19, isolated himself, as a precaution from other parliamentary officials who had lunch on Tuesday with the head of the 'State.

Richard Ferrand "is isolating himself now for a period of seven days" and "will then perform an RT-PCR test", according to a press release from the Presidency of the Assembly published on Thursday.

He "continues to exercise his functions", while the sessions have been suspended since mid-day Thursday for three weeks as planned.

Minister of Relations with Parliament Marc Fesneau (MoDem), who has seen the Head of State on several occasions this week, especially on Monday with the Citizen's Climate Convention, has also placed himself in solitary confinement, announced his gang.

Same regime for some presidents of political groups like Valérie Rabault (PS) or Olivier Becht (Agir ensemble) who, like the President of the National Assembly and Marc Fesneau, had lunch at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday.

All of them canceled their meetings or went into isolation, parliamentary sources said.

Too far to be considered as contact cases

But the Elysée told the group presidents that they were not considered "contact cases", not having been close to the head of state at the table.

According to a parliamentary source, Christophe Castaner (LREM) did not isolate himself.

Ditto for Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who was "in the place of the poor", he told the press.

He had been tested Wednesday for other reasons and the result is negative.

"I'm going to avoid going back to the national palaces, it's dangerous," exclaimed the leader of LFI, who wishes "the best for his health" to Emmanuel Macron.

Confirmation from the Elysée: I am not in contact.

I was placed more than 10m from the President on Tuesday, no close exchange, barrier gestures strictly respected.

I therefore continue my program.

And during the day, I will give the result of my PCR test done yesterday.

- Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) December 17, 2020

The leader of the LR group, Damien Abad, will be tested on Friday and isolate himself by then by continuing his teleworking activities, according to a message on Twitter.

Having lunched with the President of the Republic this Tuesday at the Elysee Palace, I decided, as a precaution, to put myself in isolation.

Even if I am not a contact case, I will perform my PCR test tomorrow morning, for a result on Saturday.

I am therefore continuing my teleworking activities # COVID19

- Damien Abad (@damienabad) December 17, 2020

" Precautionary principle "

Olivier Becht underlined that he applied “the precautionary principle”, while “the room was not ventilated”.

He isolates himself "in the constituency" and it is the "6th time" that he is in contact.

The boss of the Communist deputies, André Chassaigne, who has already been affected by the coronavirus during the first wave, has also isolated himself, according to the PCF.

Valérie Rabault was tested Thursday and canceled her riding appointments before Christmas, according to a press release.

Jean-Christophe Lagarde, president of the UDI group, was “far” from Emmanuel Macron “except for a minute” but each with a mask, he explained.

And to slip: "My anti-Covid app does not notify me of a risky contact, assuming it has downloaded and activated it".

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  • Coronavirus

  • Parliament

  • Richard Ferrand

  • epidemic

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Covid 19

  • Health