Covid-19 in France: isolation rules will be simplified from Monday, here is what is changing

The isolation rules for people positive for Covid-19 will be lightened from Monday, January 3 for those with a complete vaccination schedule, who will have to isolate themselves for seven days regardless of the variant, an isolation that can be lifted at the end. five days in the event of a negative antigen or PCR test, the government announced on Sunday.

In addition, there will be no more quarantine for contact cases with a complete vaccination schedule, who will however have to strictly respect the barrier gestures and “do regular tests”, explained the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran. , in an interview with the Sunday newspaper.

For Delta as for Omicron

Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Monday that new isolation rules, faced with the wave of the Omicron variant, would be unveiled this weekend. These rules, “we harmonize and simplify them: they will henceforth be identical whatever the contaminating variant”, Delta or Omicron, explains the minister in the JDD. Thus, from Monday, “positive people whose vaccination schedule is complete will have to isolate themselves for seven days,” he says, but “this isolation can be lifted after five days in the event of a negative antigen or PCR test. »And on condition of having no clinical sign of infection for 48 hours.

For their part, people who do not have a complete vaccination schedule “will have to isolate themselves for ten days, with a possible discharge after seven days under the same conditions”. Regarding contact cases, “if you have a complete vaccination schedule, you can continue your activities provided you have regular tests”. The first, a PCR or antigen test, should be done “on the day you learn you are in contact.” Then, you will have to perform a self-test on D + 2 and D + 4. By providing proof of your first screening on D0 at the pharmacy, you will receive all the self-tests necessary for your follow-up free of charge, ”explains Mr. Véran. Contact persons will have to “strictly apply the barrier measures, in particular the wearing of a mask indoors and outdoors”, and telework “as far as possible”, specifies the ministry in a press release.

“Benefit-risk balance”

On the other hand, if you are a contact case and that “you are not vaccinated or if you have not made your recall on time, you will have to isolate yourself for seven days”, explains the Minister, then obtain an antigen test or PCR negative at the end of this period to be able to come out of isolation. Until now, positive people had to stay in isolation for 10 days regardless of the variant, and contact cases of a person who contracted the Omicron variant had to self-isolate for a minimum of 7 days. The duration of isolation could also reach 17 days, whatever the variant, when sharing the home of a positive person.

This change in rules responds to the need to “take into account the extremely rapid development of the distribution of the Omicron variant in France” and should make it possible “to have a benefit-risk balance aimed at ensuring the control of contamination while maintaining the socio-economic life ”, explains the ministry. In addition, “the first virological data available” show “a shorter incubation time of the Omicron variant than for the previous variants, going in favor of a possible reduction in the isolation time”.

These new rules are based on the opinion delivered on Friday by the High Council of Public Health (HCSP). The ministry further specifies that for children under 12 in the case of contact in the school environment, the National Education protocol applies: this means carrying out an antigenic test for PCR “for all students of the class as soon as a case appears within the class, and return to class on presentation of the negative result ”. Self-tests must be carried out on D + 2 and D + 4.