Covid-19: the isolation period reduced from fourteen to seven days

The isolation period - of infected people and contact cases of infected people - will be reduced from fourteen to seven days, confirmed Jean Castex this Friday afternoon, after a defense council.

This could give rise to "checks", added the Prime Minister, without providing further details.

In support of this decision, there are primarily scientific arguments: studies have indeed shown that most of the Covid-19 contamination occurs in the two days preceding and the five days following the appearance of the first symptoms.

After seven days, "the residual risk can be perfectly controlled by the rigorous wearing of the surgical mask, and the scrupulous monitoring of hygiene measures and physical distancing", pointed out the Scientific Council in an opinion made public Wednesday.

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But the measure is also political, since in epidemiology, we know that the recommendations are more respected by the general public if they are understood.

And the fortnight turns out to be little respected in France.

"Difficult to corner people at home for symptoms that resemble a cold ..." recently underlined in our columns the professor of infectious diseases Anne-Claude Crémieux.

A good compromise "

To promote better public adherence to self-isolation, the Scientific Council recommended the prescription of a sick leave as soon as symptoms appear, pending the result of the test, as well as financial compensation in the event of loss of income.

And put the accent on "self-isolation at home", without excluding a more restrictive device, if necessary, in certain regions.

But to be successful, such a strategy must be based on "precise information on the protocol to be followed" and "a major communication effort", which has not been the case until now, underlined the Scientific Council.

“Our fellow citizens […] the idea that they isolate themselves when they have a positive test.

It's almost too late: you have to isolate yourself [...] as soon as there are signs of clinical suspicion, [...] you should not wait for the result of the test ”, insisted Jean-François Delfraissy, Chairman of the Scientific Council, acknowledging that the lengthening screening times did not help.

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