France is facing a fifth wave of the Covid-19 epidemic, pushing the government to take new measures. Follow here all the news related to the health situation in France or in the world.
1:50 p.m.
FC Metz, rather spared since the start of the pandemic, announced to AFP on Monday that it had four cases of Covid within its professional workforce, confirming information from the daily Le Républicain Lorrain.
13:26
The President of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. A press release says he had been showing “mild symptoms” since last night.
In solitary confinement, he will continue to perform his functions from a distance, we can also read.
13:22
The president of Botswana, one of the first countries with neighboring South Africa to detect the Omicron variant, has been placed in isolation after testing positive for Covid, the government said in a statement on Monday.
13:11
The government has announced increased aid for businesses affected by health restrictions, particularly the tourism sector, at a time when the Omicron variant is sweeping and threatening the French economy.
All companies subject to health restriction measures will benefit from the partial activity without any remaining charges, said the Minister of the Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire after a meeting in Bercy, adding that the fixed costs support system will be extended to all tourism companies, and reimbursements of less than 50,000 euros will be accelerated.
1:03 p.m.
The Minister Delegate in charge of Equality between Women and Men Elisabeth Moreno announced on Monday that she tested positive for Covid-19 and continued her duties remotely.
Contact case, I carried out a test this morning and I have just learned that I am positive for Covid-19.
In accordance with the rules in force decreed by the Government, I isolate myself from now on and continue to carry out my functions from a distance.
– Elisabeth Moreno (@ 1ElisaMoreno) January 3, 2022
1:01 p.m.
The RN presidential candidate Marine Le Pen will postpone by three weeks, “because of the health situation”, the meeting initially scheduled for January 15 to launch her campaign, her press service announced on Monday.
9:16
The month of January will be “difficult in the hospital”, given the Covid-19 epidemic and “other pathologies”, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, warned on Monday on France Inter, saying not to see for the moment “slowing down” of the Omicron variant.
“The risk with Omicron is a risk of saturation of our hospitals, conventional hospital beds,” he warned. “Omicron is less dangerous” and “causes less acute respiratory distress, and the need for intensive care beds is less than with the previous variants”, but it can cause “oxygen requirements of three, four days and therefore one expects an influx of patients in conventional hospital beds, “said the minister.
7:01
US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin has contracted Covid-19, the Pentagon announced on Sunday, adding that he was suffering from “mild” symptoms and would remain in quarantine at home for the next five days.
In a statement released by his ministry, Austin said he was fully vaccinated, including with a third booster dose, “so the infection is much lighter than it would have been otherwise,” writes -he.
“Vaccines work and will remain a military medical requirement for our personnel,” added the Pentagon chief. “I continue to encourage everyone who is eligible for a booster dose to take it.”
6:34
The pupils are now back to school. In terms of health protocol, no big change to be expected for this risky return to school: level 3 (out of 4) is maintained in elementary schools, just like level 2 in middle and high schools, in order to reduce mixing. between classes and levels.
The only change: the Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer has decided to strengthen the policy of “contact tracing”, which will subject students to three tests in four days if there is a positive in the class.
“What changes is that from now on, when the family takes the first test, they will receive two free self-tests in the pharmacy, so that the students can test themselves again at home on D + 2 and D + 4”, a indicated the minister, in an interview with Parisien Sunday evening.
