To limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants, the Director General of Health, Jérôme Salomon, is setting up emergency protocols. Certain specific measures are reinforced.
Identify cases of variant infection
Variants of British and South African origin circulate in a ” minority »On the national territory. This is enough for the Directorate General of Health to take measures to slow down its progression, because it represents a potential “ risk of immune and vaccine escape “. In an emergency note published on Sunday, February 7, it is explained that the health authorities want to identify new cases of infection with variants as quickly as possible. It is intended for healthcare professionals. To do this, any screening test that turns out to be positive must now be subject to a ” screening PCR test », Carried out within 36 hours maximum. In addition, other tests also have their place in the screening strategy for variants of the coronavirus, as indicated by the Ministry of Solidarity and Health: ” The device for searching for variants of interest is extended to rapid antigenic tests “.
A longer period of isolation
Contact-tracing continues as soon as a PCR test has a positive result. Immediate isolation is essential to avoid spreading the virus. It is also suitable for carriers of one of the three variants (English, South African and Brazilian) to warn the people with whom they have been in contact themselves and to avoid any social interaction for 7 days. On the other hand, the novelty concerning the new emerging strains from Brazil and South Africa is that the duration of the quarantine is extended to 10 days. Indeed, the risks of contagiousness are higher for these two variants. To get out of this confinement, it will be necessary to automatically carry out a “ exit test »Thanks to a negative test result, made by a nurse. If the latter is positive, the isolation continues for another 7 days.
Arrangements in schools
New restrictions come into force on February 8 in schools, in particular with the obligation to wear a mask “ General public »Category 1 and a reinforced protocol in school canteens. In addition, if a student or teacher carries the Brazilian (20J / 501Y.V3) or South African (20H / 501Y.V2) variant, this systematically results in the closure of the class. This can involve a child with Covid-19 and infected with one of these two variants, but also a case-contact child of a parent or sibling infected with one of these two new strains.
