Covid-19 in France: facing the Omicron variant, new measures expected on Monday

French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and French Minister of Health Olivier Véran, right, at La Timone hospital on Thursday, September 2, 2021 in Marseille.

AP - Ludovic Marin

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

More than 100,000 contaminations: France crossed a new record this weekend for people affected by Covid-19.

Emmanuel Macron brings together the government by videoconference for a Defense Council and then a Council of Ministers on Monday afternoon with a view to adopting new measures before the New Year's festivities.

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Stopping

is no longer an option.

It is nevertheless necessary to slow down its progression to avoid the saturation of the hospital already very in difficulty with the variant Delta.

To do this, the government relies mainly on vaccination: the draft law on the vaccination pass could be adopted on Monday before coming into force hoped for before January 15.

From that date, the vaccine would be compulsory to go to the cinema or to a restaurant.

A Restricted New Year

Two subjects will therefore be discussed during the Health Defense Council on Monday.

The first concerns a possible curfew for the night of New Year's Eve in addition to the many measures already decided for this last evening of the year: no fireworks, no sale of alcohol and food on the public road, to avoid major events and of course to keep

*** FRANCE _Asphalt The French face the measures envisaged by the health council

The second question that must be asked on Monday concerns the duration of isolation of contact cases.

The rules currently in force must change, to avoid any phenomenon of paralysis in the country at the beginning of January.

Today, a person living with a patient infected with the Omicron variant must self-isolate for up to 17 days, even in the event of a negative test. 

Protect the economy

As explained by

, from the political service of RFI, Emmanuel Macron heard the warning of the Scientific Council in the face of the meteoric progression of the virus: if more and more workers are on sick leave, companies and public services risk paralysis.

This is why the isolation rules could be revised downwards.

Thus, the period of 17 days of isolation could be reduced to 10 days.

The government should therefore relax the isolation rules, now set at 17 days of quarantine.

Slow the progression of the variant without slowing the economy ... In 2022 as in 2021, the crest line remains the same for Emmanuel Macron.

► To read also: Covid-19 in France: new restrictions for the ski resorts of Savoie

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• Coronavirus

• France

• Emmanuel Macron

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• Vaccines