A relief for some, a risky decision for others. From Monday March 14, health restrictions aimed at combating the Covid-19 epidemic will ease considerably. For the government, the latest scientific modeling and the drop in pressure on hospitals make it possible to lift most of the measures, some of which date back to the start of the pandemic.
Wearing a mask, vaccination pass, health protocols at work and in schools: franceinfo takes stock of what is changing on Monday.
Wearing a mask is more compulsory in closed places (with a few exceptions)
After being made compulsory in transport during the first deconfinement, in May 2020, then in all public places closed in July 2020, the mask will no longer be necessary to be able to access public places which still required it, such as shops and shopping centers. commercial for example.
Please note, wearing a mask is still required in public transport (bus, metro, plane, train), but also in health establishments, such as hospitals and nursing homes, “in which it will remain required until further notice”, specifies the government on its site.
Because the Covid-19 outbreak is far from over, it is otherwise officially “recommended” to positive people, symptomatic people, as well as healthcare professionals to continue to wear a mask. “There is always a danger also in unvaccinated people and in vaccinated immunocompromised people”, explained Sunday on franceinfo Professor Bruno Mégarbane, head of the intensive care unit at Lariboisière hospital in Paris.
Vaccination pass suspended until further notice
Completed, the QR code checks. After having spilled a lot of ink and triggered an unprecedented wave of violence against elected officials, the vaccine pass bows out – at least for now. Thus, theAccess to long-distance trains, restaurants, cafes, discotheques or even theaters and cinemas will no longer be subject to any conditions.
Important clarification, the health pass – which can be activated thanks to a complete vaccination schedule, a negative test dating back a maximum of 24 hours or proof of recovery in the last six months – will continue to be requested to access medico-social establishments. This concerns, for example, hospitals, retirement homes and establishments for the disabled.
The easing of these measures does not, however, change the rules concerning the vaccination obligation which is imposed on caregivers. The latter will remain in force, warned the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, on March 3.
A new health protocol in schools
In schools too, the mask loses its compulsory character. However, nothing prevents students and teachers from keeping it if they want to. This change is accompanied by a new alert protocol: all children in a class, masked or not, will now be declared contact cases if one of their classmates is positive. A rule that applies as much to elementary schools as to colleges and high schools.
From CP level to CM2,Pupils with contact cases no longer have to isolate themselves, but must carry out a self-test on D+2. From the sixth and up to the end of the year, unvaccinated contact cases will, however, have to isolate themselves for seven days and carry out a PCR or antigen screening test before being able to return to class. Those who are vaccinated will remain in class and will have to self-test on D+2.
In terms of permitted activities, the new health protocol provides for the resumption of contact sports, both indoors and outdoors. Mixing between students of different levels or during meals in the canteen is again authorized.
New business rules
From Monday morning, it will again be possible to see the faces of your colleagues. “We are going to resume normal rules in business”, indeed declared the Minister of Labor, Elisabeth Borne, guest of the LCI channel on Tuesday. A two-page guide to “measures to prevent the risk of contamination with Covid-19 outside an epidemic situation” must therefore replace the national company protocol. Clearly, wearing a mask will no longer be part of the recommendations, the distance rules will disappear, “as well as those applied in collective catering”, said the minister.
If an employee wants to continue wearing a mask within the walls of the company, his employer cannot forbid him to do so. Conversely, he may well impose it if risks to the physical and moral health of employees are identified. Finally, the possibility of teleworking itself depends on “rules that are defined in social dialogue within companies”recalled Elisabeth Borne.