It is a salvo of instructions which aim to avoid the arrival and the development of the so-called “Indian” variant in France.
This Monday evening, the Directorate General of Health (DGS) published a new note addressed to all health professionals about this variant which "could have an impact in terms of immune escape (post-infection and post-vaccination ), although this has not yet been formally demonstrated ”.
In this letter, she notably gives new recommendations which complement the measures already in place at the borders. To detect possible circulation in France, laboratories and health professionals performing SARS-CoV-2 screening are asked to "systematically question any person coming to be tested about a potential stay in India in the 14 days preceding the date. symptoms […] and in the event of a positive response, to mention the country of origin ”.
The same professionals should also invite these people to undergo an RT-PCR test, even if they present themselves for an antigen test.
To track this variant and identify it during positive tests, it is then asked to "carry out as a priority and accelerated the sequencing of any positive sample from people who have stayed in India".
Reinforced measures at airports
In addition, for any positive person returning from this country, the CPAMs who carry out investigations to find contact cases will have to carry out reinforced contact-tracing, even before knowing whether the person has the Indian variant.
The people concerned "whose personal situation suggests a high risk of propagation [...] will systematically be offered a specific accommodation offer", provides the DGS.
Finally, the Directorate General of Health recalls the strict measures applied in airports.
Before being able to take off to France, you must present a negative PCR test carried out less than 72 hours before departure and a negative antigen test result carried out less than 24 hours before departure.
Or present a negative PCR test result carried out less than 36 hours before departure.
Read also Indian variant of Covid-19: what you need to know about its possible presence in France
Upon arrival at an airport in France, before complying with a mandatory ten-day quarantine, you will have to undergo an antigen test.
Then, before coming out of quarantine, these travelers arriving from India will have to take a PCR test nine days after their return.
India is seeing its health situation deteriorate day by day due to the Covid-19 epidemic, with more than 350,000 cases detected in the last 24 hours and 2,700 deaths officially recorded.
A constantly rising figure.