New announcements on the coronavirus front: third dose of vaccine for the most vulnerable, PCR tests not reimbursed except for prescription, health pass in shopping centers … We take stock.
Context Covid tense in France: the epidemic is on the rise in Martinique and Guadeloupe, while the Delta variant is progressing in metropolitan France and anti-vaccines such as sanitary anti-pass are standing up against the government. This Wednesday, August 11, 2021, his spokesperson, Gabriel Attal, made several announcements following an online defense council. Third dose of vaccine, health pass, travel … Here is what will change.
Vaccine boosters possible from September
It had already been mentioned in mid-July by Emmanuel Macron: a recall campaign for an injection of a third dose of vaccine will begin in mid-September. It will concern the most fragile people who were vaccinated at the start of the year. According to the government spokesperson, “the meetings will open at the end of August, beginning of September, for a recall campaign which will begin in mid-September (…) The list of populations concerned will be drawn up by the High Authority for Health “.
The upcoming de-reimbursement of PCR tests
The announcement was made during the extension of the health pass in mid-July, it is renewed. From mid-October, PCR tests will no longer be reimbursed, unless they are prescribed by a doctor. “We have decided to put an end to free tests outside of medical prescription”, insisted Gabriel Attal.
According to him, “repeated tests do not prevent going to the hospital and heavily contaminating” and “by mid-October, everyone will have had time to organize themselves and take their responsibilities”.
The health pass in shopping centers, the compulsory mask in high-incidence areas
As reported The Parisian, the government asked the prefects to make the health pass compulsory in shopping centers of more than 20,000 m2, in the departments where the incidence rate exceeds 200 per 100,000.
In these same departments, they must also restore the wearing of the compulsory mask indoors in places open to the public, asked the government spokesperson.
Reinforced containment in Guadeloupe
The containment already in place in Guadeloupe will be reinforced, as in Martinique, to try to stop the explosion of cases of coronavirus, in an extremely tense hospital context. This reinforced confinement will result in the closure of beaches, bars and restaurants.“It is a vital necessity (in order to) stop the circulation of the virus as quickly as possible”, said Gabriel Attal.
Reinforced border controls
Gabriel Attal finally explained that border controls would in the future be more “even more drastic”. The government wants to test “100% of travelers from countries at risk” with antigenic tests.