A mandatory quarantine is now in effect for travelers from Argentina, Chile, Brazil and South Africa. This quarantine will apply from April 24.
The noose was greatly tightened this weekend. From next week, quarantine will no longer be a recommendation but an obligation! In a press release published on April 17, Jean Castex, the Prime Minister issued new measures against passengers on flights from countries where variants are raging. “While the epidemic situation is stabilizing on the national territory, under the effect of the braking measures put in place for two weeks and the acceleration of the vaccination campaign, the uncontrolled spread of the virus in certain countries, and in particular several variants of interest raising fears of a risk of increased transmissibility or vaccine escape, require a strengthening of the control measures of arrivals from these countries “, he reports.
Thus, travelers from South Africa, Brazil, Chile and Argentina will be required to experience a quarantine period for a period of ten days.
How does it work?
Faced with certain questions, the government spokesperson, Gabriel Attal spoke this morning at the microphone ofEurope 1 about the control conditions. First, travelers are required to submit a negative PCR test within 36 hours, compared to 72 hours previously. “The reasons for coming to France will be further restricted” indicates the spokesperson. Travel will mainly be limited to nationals, their spouses and children and to EU nationals. Second, the place of containment will not be imposed but the travelers concerned will be required to give the address of their quarantine place. “When you arrive, instead of having as today a request for self-isolation, you will have an obligation to isolate yourself, with a nominative prefectural decree which will be issued, with your name”, for a period of “ten days “, and” there will be checks by the police, by the gendarmerie, which will make it possible to verify that you are indeed in the place where you must isolate yourself, “warned Gabriel Attal. Finally, in the event of non-compliance with the imposed quarantine, travelers are exposed to a fine of 1,500 euros, or even 3,000 euros in the event of a repeat offense, the government spokesman said on Monday.
Note that this quarantine measure will apply gradually until its full entry into force on Saturday, April 24. Travelers coming from Guyana will also be targeted by these checks. “We will always leave the possibility to our nationals of being able to be repatriated on French soil”, indicated the spokesman of the government Gabriel Attal.
Towards an easing of travel restrictions in early May
In an interview with the American channel CBS, the Head of State announced on Sunday a gradual lifting of travel restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic. “We will gradually lift the restrictions at the beginning of May,” Emmanuel Macron said in the program Face The Nation, insisting on the objectives, namely, to vaccinate nearly 20 million French people in mid-May, 30 million in mid-May. June and all adults who want it at the end of summer.
