Paris (AFP)
Compulsory vaccination of caregivers, expansion of the health pass?
Faced with an upsurge in Covid-19 contaminations, President Macron will announce new measures on Monday to prevent a 4th wave from sweeping through hospitals.
The Head of State, who will address the French at 8:00 p.m., should detail the measures decided in the morning at the Elysee Palace during an exceptional health defense council.
He "will talk about the health situation and its evolution, in the light of the data of the epidemic in other countries and the importance of vaccination," said people around him.
The subject of numerous consultations for several days, compulsory vaccination of caregivers should be on the agenda.
This is "a very probable and legitimate hypothesis," said Secretary of State for European Affairs Clément Beaune on Sunday during the "Grand Rendez-vous" Europe 1 / CNews / Les Echos.
On the other hand, there is no question of making compulsory the vaccination of all French people over 12 years old: the Minister of Health Olivier Véran is "not in favor", he explained on Radio J, unlike the Academy. of medicine and to Michel Barnier, potential LR candidate for the presidential election.
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The presidential address comes less than 15 days after the third and final phase of deconfinement.
In question: the spread of the Delta variant, more contagious, which quickly brought up contaminations.
Sunday, 4,256 contaminations were recorded, against less than 3,000 a week ago.
They could rise to "6,000 in a week, 10,000 in 15 days and rise above 20,000 in early August if we do not act," said the Minister of Health.
- Lowered gauge -
For epidemiologist Arnaud Fontanet, member of the Scientific Council, the variable that could "change everything" "is vaccination" which protects 95% of serious forms of the Delta variant.
The body, which has guided the government since the start of the pandemic, therefore recommends tightening the bolts to prevent a tsunami in the hospital where, for the moment, the decline continues.
In an opinion delivered on Friday, it recommends the "obligation to vaccinate caregivers" and "other categories, such as + caregivers," personal services staff or all (non-health) professionals exposed and exposed to a risk to others ".
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"The hospital load for the moment is not increasing, but the same thing will happen as last summer, that is to say that the young people will infect the less young, and, because everyone is not vaccinated, you will have an increase in health pressure, an increase in serious cases and hospitalizations ", estimates Olivier Véran.
On Sunday, the number of Covid-19 patients was stable in hospitals.
To facilitate the vaccination of officials, Minister Amélie de Montchalin wants to promote the opening of "barnums" in front of the prefectures, departmental and regional directorates, said his entourage, confirming information from the JDD.
In addition to the intensification of vaccination, Emmanuel Macron could announce a tightening of restrictions, via a possible extension of the health pass.
On this ground, the Scientific Council advocates a lowering of the gauge (currently set at 1,000 people) for events subject to this pass, as well as "partial measures of restrictions" in the most affected geographical areas, "including in July and August ".
- Better deploy -
"We must undoubtedly come back to a certain number of the measures which were lifted on June 30 in order to hope to return to a calmer zone, the time that we can better deploy the vaccination", advanced epidemiologist Dominique Costagliola, at the microphone from Europe 1.
While the final of the Euro (Italy-England) could give rise on Sunday evening to rallies and a relaxation of barrier gestures, health measures are variously followed in the festivals which are in full swing, according to AFP journalists on the spot.
In Cannes, if it is impossible to escape the control of the health pass, the respect of wearing a mask, during screenings in particular, and physical distancing create controversy.
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"There is no Cannes cluster," nevertheless assures the general delegate of the film festival, Thierry Frémaux.
In Avignon, where temperatures exceed 30 degrees, wearing a mask outside (exceptionally compulsory due to the crowds) is largely ignored.
On the other hand, it is generally well respected in theaters, closed or in the open air.
On the other hand, in contemporary music festivals, barrier gestures are rather respected because the meetings that are held have chosen unusual formats.
In the Vieilles Charrues, in Brittany, the open air capacity was limited to 5,000 people, instead of 70,000.
© 2021 AFP