Europe 1 1:08 p.m., November 25, 2021, modified at 1:14 p.m., November 25, 2021

During a press conference, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran announced this Thursday new measures to contain the fifth wave of coronavirus which affects France. The government has decided to exclude any confinement or curfew and to bet on vaccination. Europe 1 takes stock of what to remember from its intervention.

To cope with the epidemic rebound of Covid-19, the government has decided to move up a gear.

Thursday, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran detailed at a press conference the new health measures in force in France.

He assured him, the country is currently experiencing a fifth wave.

To contain it, the government chose to avoid the restrictions last fall, and will therefore not impose containment or curfew, said the minister.

But he decided to continue to focus on vaccination and barrier gestures. 

Booster dose extended to all adults

Access to the booster dose will therefore be extended to all over 18s and can be performed five months after the last injection, in accordance with the recommendations of the High Authority for Health published Thursday morning.

"The vaccine booster will be open to all adults, five months after their last injection" from this Saturday, announced Olivier Véran.

The Minister of Health assured that the country has sufficient stocks to reach the entire population and took the opportunity to call on the unvaccinated to be vaccinated.

"We will open, reopen or expand the vaccination centers from this weekend," he said.

Regarding the vaccination of 5-11 year olds, the Minister of Health affirmed that France is thinking about it, but that nothing will not be put in place before 2022.

The validity of the tests reduced to 24 hours for the health pass

The health pass will also evolve.

From November 29, for people without a vaccine, a daily negative test will be necessary to keep their health pass.

From January 15, it will no longer be valid for 18-65 year olds who have not received their booster dose, in the seven months after the last injection and will be deactivated.

The validity period of the tests goes from 48 to 24 hours.

"We are reducing the validity of screening tests to 24 hours" to benefit from the health pass, "continued the Minister of Health.

Wearing a mask is compulsory in all closed places

Olivier Véran also focused on barrier gestures.

He called to remain vigilant and to resume "the good habits that have been lost".

Wearing a mask will therefore be compulsory again in all public places indoors, subject to the health pass.

He also said that access to Christmas markets this winter will be subject to the health pass. 

In addition, he announced the arrival of a new drug in tablet form that will be available in city pharmacies for people at risk.

"Clinical studies show that it can halve the risk of being hospitalized," he said. 

On the question of the health protocol at school, the Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer, announced that there will no longer be a systematic closure of class from the first positive case of the coronavirus, but that a screening of children will be carried out.