The Scientific Council recommends "self-containment" for a week to those who wish to spend family holidays, and the use of tests before Christmas Eve.
These measures should make it possible to limit the risk of a third epidemic wave.
To try to limit the risk of the third wave of Covid-19 in January, the Scientific Council recommends "self-containment" for a week to those who wish to spend family holidays, and the use of tests before the evenings of eve.
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"Limit family and friendly gatherings as much as possible"
In a "scientific background note" published Monday, the scientists recall that it is necessary to "limit family and friendly meetings as much as possible, especially during this period of the end of the year, by discussing the reasons with those around them" .
For those who will still spend the holidays with the family, the best is to confine themselves preventively: take leave or tele-work a week before December 24 or 31, they advise.
For schoolchildren and high school students, the Council calls for reinforcing barrier gestures in this last week before the holidays, to avoid gatherings linked to holidays in schools, and to show "tolerance" for school absences, Thursday and Friday, in order that children can self-confine too.
This self-containment is all the more important for those who plan to meet the elderly, the most vulnerable to the virus, during the holidays, underlines the scientific council, noting that it is not possible to "limit family meetings " in this period.
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Get tested if necessary
Nursing home residents who leave the facility for a few hours or days must be tested by PCR on their return, they add.
In a period conducive to relaxation, scientists call to resort to tests if necessary on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday before Christmas and New Year's Eve. But without giving in to the feeling of "false security": the tests do not allow 100% rule out infection and barrier procedures must continue to be observed.
In detail, a symptomatic person in the week preceding Christmas or New Year's Day should be tested and self-isolate without waiting for the result.
Without symptoms, you can be tested if you have taken a risk (multiple contacts or with a positive case).
Without symptoms or risk taking during the week, it is better to abstain so as not to saturate the test system: "it is not a question of limiting access to the test, but of showing a 'citizen spirit '", specifies the scientific council.