Despite the drop in new cases, the timetable for lifting restrictions remains unchanged because “there are still too many” patients in hospitals, justified the Minister of Health.
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The wave of Covid-19 linked to the Omicron variant is clearly receding, assures Olivier Véran. “We have been seeing for several weeks a collapse of the Omicron wave, which reduces its pace by two each week”said Sunday, February 20, the Minister of Health on the set of the “Grand Jury” RTL-Le Figaro-LCI. Nevertheless, the next lifting of restrictions remains planned “half-March” because “there is still too much” patients in hospitals.
According to the latest figures from Public Health France, published on Saturday, the number of positive cases stands at 86,000 on average over seven days, down 76% since the peak reached on January 25. The Minister also underlined the “reduction of the health burden” with “fewer and fewer patients in hospitals”. They are still 28,600, including 2,900 in critical care.
But it’s still too early “to say it’s over and to remove all measures”, added Olivier Véran. The minister considers “that by mid-March, hospital and epidemic conditions will allow us to remove the mask indoors and to remove all or part of the vaccination pass where it is still in force today”.
the “precise perimeter” of this easing of restrictions “will depend on what we observe within a fortnight”detailed Olivier Véran, denying any link between this calendar and the presidential election in April. “It is in no way a political decision, in the sense that it does not adapt to the electoral situation”, he assured.
The minister also immediately ruled out the possibility of a fourth dose of vaccine against Covid-19, which “does not impose itself today”, according to health authorities, while considering “very quietly” to resort to it if it became “absolutely necessary”.