Covid contact case: new protocol, not vaccinated, what to do?

[Mise à jour le 17 mars 2022 à 12h51] After being in contact with a coronavirus-positive person, you can be infected with Sars-Cov-2. Therefore, you are considered “contact case” and must follow a protocol testing and isolation. The last dates from February 2022. He will be updated March 21 next, indicate the Directorate General of Health with a change important for unvaccinated. As of March 21, the vaccination status will no longer be taken into account for the quarantine which is abolished. Vaccinated or unvaccinated contact cases will not be no longer required to self-isolate. What are the new rules for the unvaccinated? When to take the test when we are in contact? of a member of his family ? When it comes to a child ? AT school ? Details of the rules in force in France.

By definition, a contact case is a person who has been in contact with a positive case of Covid-19 in the absence of effective protective measures, whatever the duration. If you have already had the Covid there are less than 2 monthsthen you are not not considered as a contact case, recalls the government site MyadviceCovid.

► Are considered effective protective measures :

• Physical separation isolating the contact person from the confirmed or probable case by creating two independent spaces (window, Hygiaphone®);
• Surgical mask, or FFP2 mask, or in “general public filtration greater than 90%” fabric (corresponding to category 1 (AFNOR)), worn by the confirmed or probable case OR the contact person.

►Not considered effective protective measures :

• Category 2 consumer fabric masks;
• “House” fabric masks or handcrafted masks that do not meet AFNOR standards;
• Transparent plastic visors and masks worn alone;
• Plexiglas plate placed on a counter, transparent plastic curtains separating customers and traders.

The protocol concerning the management of contact cases will change from Monday March 21st. He will no longer take into account the vaccination status of the person. All contact cases, vaccinated or not, will follow the same protocol.

► Starting March 21 :

• contact cases, regardless of their vaccination status, will no longer be required to observe quarantine.
• contact persons must carry out a test (TAG, RT-PCR or self-test) on D+2 of the notification of the contact status. If they make a antigen test (or self-test) and it turns out positive, it must be confirmed by PCR. Pending the confirmation result, the person is considered a positive case and begins their period of isolation. As a reminder, the positive result of an antigen test serves as proof for reimbursement by the Health Insurance of the confirmation RT-PCR test.
• contact cases should always : strictly apply the barrier measures, and in particular the Wearing a mask indoors and outdoors in contact with other people ; limit their contact, especially with fragile people ; avoid contact with people at risk of severe form; telework as far as possible.

• No more self-isolation, regardless of vaccination status.
• Carry out a screening test on D+2 of the contact (antigen, PCR or self-test).
• In the event of a positive antigen test or self-test, it must be confirmed by PCR, but isolation begins without delay.
• In the event of a positive test, isolate yourself for 7 days if you are vaccinated (5 if you have a negative test at the end of this isolation period) or 10 days if you are not vaccinated (7 if you have a negative test at the end of this isolation period). end of this isolation period).
• Strictly apply the barrier measures
• Pwear the mask indoors and outdoors
• Limit contact, especially with fragile people
• Avoid contact with people at risk of severe form
• Teleworking as far as possible.

If you have already had the Covid there are less than 2 monthsthen you are not not considered as a contact case, recalls the government site MyadviceCovid. This rule applies to adults and children.

From March 21, unvaccinated contact cases are no longer required to isolate themselves while waiting to be tested. According to the new protocol, unvaccinated contact cases:

• no longer isolate themselves
• do a screening test on D+2
• if the test is positive and it is an antigen or a self-test, it must be confirmed by a PCR but the isolation begins immediately;
• if the test is positive: self-isolate for 10 days after the date of the positive test. It is possible to leave isolation after 7 days if a negative RT-PCR or antigen test is carried out and if there have been no symptoms for 2 days.

What are the isolation rules if you are a contact case?

There is no longer isolation for people with contact cases from March 21, whether they are vaccinated or not vaccinated against Covid. From now on, isolation only begins when you are positive for Covid.

Since February 28, the child contact case must only realizea single screening test on D+2. He is not required to isolate himself. Self-tests for children under 12 are covered by health insurance and delivered free of charge in pharmacies.

The rules for contact cases were updated in February 2022:

• a self-test is to be carried out 2 days (D2) after the last contact with the confirmed case (without isolation between D0 and D2) or at the time of information of the occurrence of the case if it occurs more than 2 days after the last contact. On presentation of the letter or message delivered by the schoolthe pupil’s legal representatives will meet provide a self-test free of charge in pharmacies to be carried out on D2. Students continue their learning face-to-face.
• If theself-test is positive, the student becomes a confirmed case. Legal guardians are asked to inform the director or head of the establishment. The student should then respect a 7-day isolation which can be reduced to 5 days if he has a negative test.
• the wearing the mask indoors is recommended for 7 days after the occurrence of the confirmed case.
• The students who have contracted Covid-19 for less than two months and identified as a contact case are not subject to the screening or quarantine obligation.
• Following the occurrence of a confirmed case among the students, all students in the class are considered to be at-risk contacts, without distinction between students who have or have not worn the mask. Whenever possible, high-risk contacts are sought outside the classroom (e.g. students from another class having lunch at the same table as the confirmed case)

Members of the household of a person who tested positive for coronavirus are considered contact cases. Therefore, they must be tested by PCR, antigen or self-test on D+2 (there is no isolation between D0 and D2). This test is free since they are contact cases. According to the general instructions given by the government (which no longer make a distinction for family members)

• If the test is negative, no isolation.
• If the test is positive, isolation takes place: 7 days for a vaccinated person or 10 days if the person is not vaccinated or their vaccination schedule is incomplete. In the event of a positive self-test or antigen test, the result should be confirmed by PCR. The isolation rules will remain unchanged.

When to get tested?

Contact cases must perform a Covid screening test (antigen, PCR or self-test) on D+2 from the last contact with the positive person. Same thing for children. In the case of a positive self-test or antigen, the person must do a confirmation PCR test. Contact cases do not isolate themselves while awaiting the result of their test. Isolation begins if they test positive. The tests are free for contact persons.

If the case contact person has a positive test, they are contaminated with Covid. (a positive self-test or antigen must be confirmed by PCR).

► For positive people with a complete vaccination schedule and for children under 12 : insulation is 7 days (full) after the date of the onset of signs or the date of the collection of the positive test. After 5 days, the positive person can be released from isolation if they perform an antigen test and it is negative and if they have not had any clinical signs of infection for 48 hours. If the test carried out is positive or if the person does not carry out a test, his isolation is maintained at 7 days. She does not carry out a second test on D7.

► For positive people with an incomplete vaccination schedule and for non-vaccinated people: isolation is 10 days (full) after the date of the onset of signs or the date of the collection of the positive test. After 7 days, the positive person can be released from isolation if they carry out an antigen or PCR test and it is negative and if they have not had any clinical signs of infection for 48 hours. If the test is positive or if the person does not perform a test, the isolation is 10 days.

What if the test is negative?

There is no isolation if the test is negative. It is advisable to take your temperature and monitor the appearance of one of these symptoms:

• Fever (or feeling feverish), chills
• Cough, sore throat, runny nose
• Difficulty breathing or a feeling of tightness in the chest
• Unexplained intense fatigue
• Unexplained muscle pain
• Unusual headaches
• Loss of smell
• Loss of taste of food
• Diarrhea

If one or more symptoms appear, even weakly or If I have any doubts, I will do a new test. It is also advisable to wear the mask as soon as you are in contact.

Sources:

Evolution of measures to combat Covid-19 as of March 14, 2022, March 15, 2022. DGS.

I have been in risky contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. French Public Health. March 2022

Evolution of the screening and isolation strategy for Covid-19 cases and contact persons, DGS, 24 February 2022

Improvement of the health situation: following an opinion from the High Council for Public Health made public today, the Government is announcing a relaxation of the health protocol as of February 28. February 11, 2022

Infection or contact case: the new isolation rules against Covid-19 from January 3, 2022. 02/01/2022. Gouvernement.fr

New doctrines for the isolation of Covid-19 cases and the quarantine of contact persons. 2/01/2022

Compensation system for work interruptions for employees and non-employees. November 16, 2021. Ameli.fr

Case definition for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection and at-risk contact Updated 07/22/2021