Covid: another lockdown cannot be “ruled out” according to Pr. Arnaud Fontanet

Published by Caroline de Sortiraparis · Photos by · Published on November 25th, 2021 at 12:03 p.m.
Faced with the 5th wave, will France follow the steps of some of its European neighbors and instate restrictions? As Olivier Véran is expected to host a press briefing this Thursday November 25, epidemiologist Arnaud Fontanet told Le Parisien another lockdown cannot be “ruled out”.

As the new Covid-19 case toll skyrockets in France, many people fear the implementation of restrictions like in the Netherlands or Austria. This November 24, the government gathered at the Elysée Palace around the French President to study the likely leads to instated in order to stop this 5th wave. For the time being, the executive wishes to reinforce the health pass and extend the 3rd dose to all the French or even reinstate compulsory facemask-wearing indoor and outdoor in some public places. “If we want to save the Holidays, we need everyone to commit”, Gabriel Attal claimed this Wednesday after the latest Defense Council.

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France has officially entered the fifth coronavirus epidemic wave. So, to try and curb the rise in Covid-19-related contaminations, Gabriel Attal has announced the implementation of new restrictions. Third dose extended, reinforced health pass, or return of compulsory facemask… Here is more on the matter! [Read more]

But are stricter measures possible in the country? This past November 19, Emmanuel Macron claimed that placing non-vaccinated people in lockdown was “not necessary in France”.

Yet, some doctors do not rule this hypothesis out. In an interview for Le Parisien, Pr. Arnaud Fontanet, member of the Scientific Committee, intends to sound cautious. “We thought we would not longer need to (place in lockdown). But given what is happening in our close neighbors, we cannot rule it out” he said this November 23 to the daily.

During a symposium held this November 22 by the Ordre des Pharmaciens, Jean-François Delfraissy considered “vaccine will not be enough” to stop the 5th wave, thinking it will be necessary to “reinstate restrictions” such as “facemask-wearing”.

So, what will the government decide then? Olivier Véran is expected to host a press brief this Thursday November 25 to specify the measures decided by the executive.

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