This is unheard of since the start of the health crisis: France crossed the threshold of 100,000 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, December 25, Christmas Day, in 24 hours, while the government must reassess the situation on Monday. in the face of the progression of the Omicron variant. 

With 104,611 new cases, the country has reached a threshold unprecedented since the start of the epidemic in March 2020, according to Public Health France.

A level that has doubled in three weeks.

The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, warned last Wednesday that the threshold of 100,000 contaminations per day would be reached in the coming days. 

Nationally, pressure remains stable on critical care services which have 3,282 patients, with 160 new admissions compared to Friday (316 the day before). 16,162 people are currently hospitalized against 16,173 the day before, with 760 new admissions (1,398 the day before).

Over 78% of the population received a first dose

The number of deaths since the start of the epidemic has reached 122,546, 84 more than the day before (169 Friday).

Finally, since the start of the vaccination campaign in France, 52,712,462 people have received at least one injection (i.e. 78.2% of the total population) and 51,606,171 people now have a complete vaccination schedule (i.e. 76, 5% of the total population).

The meteoric progress of the new Omicron variant raises gloomy projections a few days before the transition to 2022. "The realistic scenario is that in mid-January we (either) have 200,000 contaminations a day", estimated the infectious disease specialist Benjamin Davido on Friday on CNews.

>> To read also: Covid-19: robot portrait of the Omicron variant, one month after its appearance

With the risk, mentioned by the Scientific Council, of a paralyzed society because of an increase in work stoppages and "absenteeism".

Olivier Véran indicated that the government would take care to "avoid any phenomenon of paralysis".

Adoption on Monday of the bill on the vaccination pass

Emmanuel Macron will hold a Health Defense Council dedicated to Covid-19 on Monday by videoconference at 4 p.m., one hour before the Council of Ministers which must adopt the bill establishing the vaccine pass.

Its entry into force is scheduled for January 15, according to the law consulted by AFP.

In detail, the text transforms the health pass into a vaccination pass "for access to leisure activities, restaurants and drinking establishments, fairs, seminars and trade shows or even interregional transport", in particular rail.

The only presentation of a negative test would however remain valid "for access to establishments and health and medico-social services".

On the health situation, government spokesman Gabriel Attal had specified that a "reassessment" was scheduled for Monday, while Omicron is spreading "at a very rapid pace" in France and should become "in the majority" in the next few days .

>> To read also: The European Union gives a boost to anti-Covid treatments

A few days before the New Year, will the government announce stronger restrictions or will it choose the status quo?

And what about the duration of isolation for "contact cases"?

In Savoie, the prefect has already given an additional turn of the screw.

A decree extends the measures in force since November 30, requiring the wearing of masks for people eleven years of age and over, including outdoors, in places with more than 10 people, such as markets, theaters, etc.

Wearing a mask is also compulsory for those aged eleven and over from 9 a.m. to midnight in the municipalities of Chambéry, Aix-les-Bains and Albertville, and those of ski resorts (such as Tignes or La Plagne).

With AFP and Reuters

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