Prevention, mask, booster dose, self-test… COVARS, the body which replaced the Scientific Council, had issued recommendations for the end-of-year celebrations, sources of significant intergenerational mixing in closed places, such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve. An. Back to the rules.
During the 2022 end-of-year celebrations, Covid, flu and bronchiolitis circulated in France. To limit the consequences of these epidemics in particular, common sense advice were issued for the end of year celebrations, by the Committee for Monitoring and Anticipation of Health Risks (COVARS, body which replaced the Scientific Council) even if there is no longer a gauge of guests or obligation regarding vaccine or mask. Back to the recommendations for the holidays 2022.
What prevention advice to spend peaceful holidays?
To avoid being a carrier of a virus and contaminating loved ones, especially the most vulnerable people, during family reunions and end-of-year celebrations, you had to:
► Ensure that frail people have received their booster dose (and, depending on the case, vaccination against influenza: remember that the two injections can be given on the same day or without delay if they are not given on the same day). same day)
► Reinforce barrier gestures including the wearing of a mask/hygiene and hand washing triptych, in particular when going to the table/ventilation of enclosed spaces
► Ventilate the rooms regularly, keeping a window or door open at least 10 minutes per hour or permanently if possible during the event.
► Pay particular attention to the elderly, frail or unvaccinated
► “Limit the number of guests and avoid kisses and hugs“, advised thePays de la Loire Regional Health Agency in a press release dated December 19, 2022.
► Do not share glasses
► If symptoms appear, first consult your doctor, a home or a health center.
► Stay at home if you were positive for Covid-19 or contact case, if you had symptoms of Covid-19 or the flu, even vaccinated.
Should we wear a mask during the holiday season?
Like François Braun, Minister of Health, COVARS wanted to encourage the French to wear the mask in closed places as much as possible. So the Wearing a mask was not compulsory but recommended, especially when the distance could not be respected.
Should we do a test before the holidays?
“In order to protect the most vulnerable during the holiday period, and in addition to messages on vaccination, reinforced communication promoting the use of COVID self-tests (on sale in pharmacies) could reinforce the level of appropriation of risk management by the French. This approach had already been used and understood by families in 2020 and 2021“, specified the Covars in its document. In other words, being tested was not compulsory to meet for the end of the year celebrations but strongly recommended if we didn’t want to take the risk. By PCR test, antigen test or self-test, the French were invited to be tested on the day of the event or the day before.
► In the event of a positive self-test, a confirmation test by RT-PCR or antigen test had to be carried out quickly. and warn people with whom we have been in contact in the previous days, so that they test themselves and isolate themselves while awaiting the result, recalls the ARS of Pays de la Loire.
► In the event of a negative result with a self-test, you had to remain cautious, because the reliability of this type of test is lower. It was therefore always possible that one was carrying the virus and that one transmitted it. This is why it was imperative to continue to respect the barrier measures.
► After the holidays, a control self-test could be carried out to make sure that we had not been contaminated by the Covid during the holidays.
Sources: Opinion of December 16, 2022 from COVARS / Ministry of Health / ARS Pays de la Loire