Speculation is rife. While the lights of the Covid-19 epidemic are turning red again in France, with nearly 80,000 new daily cases on average and an increase in the number of hospitalizations, will the government highlight the health measures taken during previous epidemic peaks?
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In the immediate future, the executive sticks to simple advice in the face of the seventh wave which is accelerating in France. The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, recommends wearing a mask in closed places and “promiscuity”. But the tenant of Matignon could also, within the framework of the state of health emergency, decide to impose certain measures again – and this despite a tight timetable. Franceinfo returns to the government’s options in the face of the resurgence of the epidemic.
Prohibition of movement of persons or vehicles
The law on health crisis exit management, in place since May 31, 2021, is very clear on this subject. It leaves the Prime Minister free rein to introduce ad hoc measures and lift them, all by decree, until July 31, the date of the final end of the state of health emergency. These decrees must, however, be “taken on the report of the Minister responsible for Health, in the interest of public health and for the sole purpose of combating the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic”clarifies the text.
If the health situation justifies it, Elisabeth Borne can therefore prohibit the movement of people and vehicles as well as access to means of public transport, “subject to travel strictly essential for family, professional and health needs”.
Regulation of certain establishments open to the public
It also has the power to regulate the opening of certain places open to the public, such as restaurants or cinemas for example. The government can theoretically extend the use of the health pass (which is still required in the care services), to places or events welcoming the public for cultural, sports or leisure activities. Fairs or trade shows are also concerned, specifies the law.
The obligation to wear a mask
Among the government’s options, wearing a mask is surely the most mentioned measure lately. After the Minister of Health, Brigitte Bourguignon, then the Prime Minister, it was the CEO of SNCF, Jean-Pierre Farandou, who on Wednesday morning invited travelers and SNCF staff to “wear the mask in stations and on trains”. A call to “citizenship” which echoes the recommendations of many doctors, such as Alain Fischer, president of the Orientation Council for the vaccine strategy against the pandemic, who judges this measure “reasonable (…) for fragile people and probably for the whole population”he explained on June 22 on the set of Télématin.
“The government was right not to make it compulsory to wear a mask”, estimates Jean-François Delfraissy, president of the Scientific Council, guest of #RTLMatin with @VenturaAlba pic.twitter.com/46GJqoF4pn
—RTL France (@RTLFrance) June 30, 2022
From there to returning to the mandatory mask in transport or stores, there is still a big step. Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, who chairs the Scientific Council, chooses the recommendation “rather than the injunction” he said Thursday on RTL. The High Authority for Health (HAS), which continues to advocate strict compliance with barrier gestures, has not issued any recent recommendations on the wearing of masks.
The establishment of a border pass from July 31?
If it wants to beef up its health system, the government will have to act quickly, and will not be able to act for long. After several extensions and a relaxation in November 2021, the exceptional regime under which France has been placed since March 2020 must end on July 31 at midnight. After this date, it will need a new legal framework to take health measures.
“There is no question today of extending the health emergency regime”assured Olivia Grégoire, government spokesperson, in mid-June. “We are not on the vaccination pass, the state of emergency, she detailed. What matters to us is to ensure that we are able to intervene if necessary, with the implementation of braking measures if the situation were to change, or even degenerate post-July 31. A new bill in this direction “has been sent to the Council of State in recent days” says the Minister of Health. The text was to be studied in the Council of Ministers on June 22, but its presentation was finally postponed.
According to a draft law, published by the Atlantico site and whose authenticity was confirmed to AFP by the Ministry of Health, the government plans to introduce a border pass on arrival in France. , in Corsica and in the overseas territories. Concretely, the Prime Minister could absolutely impose by decree the presentation of a health pass (negative test, proof of vaccination or certificate of recovery) from the age of 12 for “to travel to or from France, Corsica or one of the local authorities” ultramarine. The “staff involved in the transport services concerned” could also be compelled to comply.
In this same document, we learn that the government also plans to extend until March 31, 2023 the SI-DEP computer files (results of screening tests) and Contact Covid (infected people and contact cases). Last track: the executive wants to create a “committee for monitoring and anticipating health risks”.