The worsening epidemic situation in France is pushing many scientists to advocate a re-containment of the elderly and fragile for a period of a few weeks.
The measure, which would affect 15 million people, had already been evacuated last spring.
It could prove to be unconstitutional.
Faced with the deterioration of health indicators linked to the coronavirus, the option of confinement only for the elderly and fragile resurfaces.
Last April, Professor Jean-François Delfraissy sparked an uproar by suggesting to keep seniors at home for months.
The Scientific Council, which he chairs, returned to this in its latest opinion, published at the end of last week, with a strong recommendation for self-containment for elderly and fragile subjects.
This alternative to general confinement is supported by several scientists.
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A measure for "two to three months"?
Experts say it: France today is in a very different context from that of spring 2020. Already, the circulation of new variants will worsen the epidemic in the coming weeks, well beyond 20,000 cases per day.
Thanks to the launch of the vaccination campaign, this confinement of the elderly will be limited to a few weeks, the time to receive the precious injection.
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"If we continue an intense vaccination program and if it lasts only two to three months, it seems legitimate to me," defends Gilbert Deray, head of department at the Parisian hospital of Pitié-Salpêtrière.
"On the one hand, we vaccinate these people as a priority. On the other hand, these same people, who are the elderly and those who have co-morbidities, agree to isolate themselves during this period so that we have the time to vaccinate the rest of the population and to shelter the entire population. "
"Tie break"
This targeted containment would also avoid bringing the country to a halt again by closing businesses and schools.
This decision would still concern nearly 15 million people, if we take the over 65s and people with a risk pathology.
The subject has so far been swept away by Matignon.
"This would create a breach of equality," said a ministerial adviser, and therefore a possible veto of the Constitutional Council.
As in the spring, the option is not on the government's table for the moment.