After months of containment and curfew, France sees light at the end of the tunnel.
And cinemas or theaters.
Since June 30, certain restrictions on places of cultivation have been lightened or even lifted.
While the shadow of the Delta variant casts doubt on a possible resumption of the epidemic, and that the Minister of Health Olivier Véran no longer excludes a next wave, Antoine Flahault, epidemiologist and professor of public health at the University of Geneva, sheds light on the measures now applied in cultural places.
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Theaters, museums, cinemas and performance halls: pay attention to ventilation
In all of these cultural places, the gauges are no longer in force. 100% of the public can therefore once again be welcomed without restriction. Until then, the gauges were 4m² per visitor in museums, monuments and art centers, and 65% of the maximum capacity with a limit of 5000 people in concert halls and cinemas. As for wearing a mask, it remains compulsory in all these places and barrier gestures must always be respected. We also note that online reservation remains a preferred means for these places of culture in order to avoid excessive crowds at the same time.
The opinion of the epidemiologist.
This reduction in measures, in particular the end of the gauges, is consistent for Antoine Flahault. “
Museums, for example, are not very high-risk places: we don't talk much there, we don't stay very often in the same room, we are often in very large volumes. As long as the virus circulation is low, this setup is not really a problem. Museums were the first to reopen and no cluster was observed there
”, analyzes the epidemiologist.
On the other hand, the professor insists on the importance of ensuring the ventilation of these closed places.
Contamination with Covid-19 is mainly by aerosols, these microdroplets of less than 5 microns containing viral particles exhaled by patients.
Unlike postilions, they can stay suspended in the air for several hours and cover greater distances.
Antoine Flahault believes that it would be necessary to be able to equip these places with CO2 sensors, which provide a good indicator of air renewal.
“
When a CO2 sensor exceeds a certain threshold, we could order an intermission, the time to ventilate the room.
"
Concerts with standing audience and festivals: the importance of the sanitary pass
Another novelty, standing concerts and festivals were able to resume on June 30. No gauge applied outdoors, but a limitation to 75% of the total capacity of the room indoors.
The opinion of the epidemiologist.
There too, not too many concerns for Antoine Flahault. “
A number of festivals take place outside, where no cluster or chain of contamination has been identified since the start of the pandemic.
"Regarding the 75% indoor gauge, he also sees no drawbacks:"
the indoor gauge seems to me to be a good principle, since the indoor environment is at risk - infinitely more at risk than the outdoor environment. . The indoor environment is at risk when it is poorly ventilated, when there are many, when we spend time there and when there is little distance between people. "
The professor again evokes the use of CO2 sensors forensure good indoor air ventilation. In short,
“There is a set of mechanisms to maintain a gauge at 75%.
»A gauge which
« is not unreasonable ».
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The indoor environment is at risk when it is poorly ventilated, when there are many, when we spend time there and when there is little distance between people
Antoine Flahault, epidemiologist and professor of public health at the University of Geneva
For this type of event, the health pass (negative PCR or antigen test or presentation of the complete vaccination certificate) is now required as soon as more than 1,000 people are present.
And this indoors as well as outdoors.
The opinion of the epidemiologist.
According to Antoine Flahault, this pass is a good solution: "
if we respect very precise health protocols - in particular the requirement to have a health pass for more than 1000 people - then we prevent a certain number of risks. efficient
”. And if the Delta variant worries more and more, concerts and festivals should not be called into question any time soon: “
even if the epidemic situation is deteriorating quite quickly in France, it remains low enough to allow this type of gathering without taking excessive risk
”
.
But the epidemiologist insists: the resumption of such events cannot be considered without the application of the test-trace-isolate triptych.
“The authorities must step up their efforts to track down the chains of contamination to find out where the variants come from.
"
Read also: Health pass: documents to provide, places concerned ... Answers to all your questions
Finally, for events with a health pass, wearing a mask is no longer compulsory as in other places of cultivation, but only recommended.
The opinion of the epidemiologist.
Nothing to be alarmed about, according to Antoine Flahault, who makes the analogy with the terraces which reopened on May 19.
“
On the terraces, people talk and stay facing each other for a long time, without masks.
It seems to me consistent to apply this decision to concerts.
When you wear a mask, it is certain that you further reduce the risk of contamination.
Not wearing it means loosing a seat belt that could protect us.
But this choice can be heard, it is not necessarily shocking in a closed environment.
Especially as long as the circulation of the virus is very low,
”explains the professor.
Night clubs: yes, but not under any conditions
Last major change, the reopening of nightclubs from July 9. A specific health protocol will be applied there. The gauge will be set at 75% for indoor nightclubs, and 100% for outdoor ones. The presentation of a health pass will be compulsory regardless of the number of participants, with the presentation of a vaccination certificate, PCR test or antigen test. Therefore, wearing a mask will not be compulsory either, but only recommended.
The opinion of the epidemiologist.
“
When you can't ventilate - which happens when you don't have windows - you can use purifiers that purify the air of fine particles. There is always a way to improve air quality, and in this case there is no risk in spending a few hours in a nightclub,
”notes Antoine Flahault. The current
"very low"
level of circulation of the virus
poses
"
very little risk
". But the epidemiologist warns all the same against the excesses. "
I was much more worried to see football supporters leaving for Saint Petersburg, which is a risk zone
," he said.
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