Covid 19 Update with CSF Languedoc
To help keep English-speaking residents and visitors to the region informed, CSF Languedoc have been sharing bulletins of extremely useful information.
Taken from verified government sources, this is a fountain of knowledge during these uncertain times – big thank you to CSF Languedoc!
Read their previous bulletins here.
Please note that the situation in France is subject to less frequent change. We will only issue bulletins whenever there is new information of significance / substantial change.
We hope you find the content of this bulletin useful and we wish you a safe and enjoyable summer.
New measures outlined by the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, on Friday September 11
On Friday, September 11, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, convened a defence council to discuss the increasing concerns about the Covid-19 epidemic.
Jean Castex, the Prime Minister, presented the main health measures taken by the government and called for everyone to maintain vigilance in the face of worrying increases of cases, hospitalisations, critical care patients, and deaths. He called in particular for older people “to observe the greatest caution on a daily basis, be careful, be very careful”.
The government measures outlined are:
Testing/Screening
Priorities for who should get a test and on what timescale are being revised. The priority will be for people who:
- are symptomatic OR
- have been traced as having contact with someone confirmed or likely to have Covid-19 OR
- are a medical or care professional
There will still be the option for other people to be tested, however they will not have the same priority in terms of accessing a test or receiving their results.
This measure has been taken in order to reduce the waiting time for results for those in the listed categories. For them, certain time slots will be reserved and there will be dedicated screening tents.
Testing prior to medical procedures
The government priorities do not address the concern of those waiting for a Covid-19 test prior to a medical procedure and CSF-L will continue to collect what information we can on this matter. Feedback to date is that surgery is going ahead as long as a test has been taken, even if the result has not been received.
Tracing
2,000 people will be recruited from health insurance and regional health agencies to improve the tracing of contact cases.
Isolation/quarantine
The duration of isolation will be reduced to 7 days instead of 14 days. The Prime Minister called on everyone to respect the need for a full 7 days’ isolation from the point at which someone is aware of having Covid-like symptoms or from the time they are aware of being in contact with someone who has/is likely to have Covid-19. The checks to ensure that isolation is being respected were not outlined in detail.
Location
42 departments are now classified as red. This does not imply automatic consequences, but the Prefecture can initiate additional measures. This does include the Pyrénées-Orientales.
Re-confinement ruled out
The Prime Minister confirmed that there would be no return to a general, countrywide confinement: “The measures will be adapted and graduated”. Olivier Véran, the Health Minister, will continue his regular updates to report on the statistics relating to the epidemic.
Increased cases of Covid-19
National
The Prime Minister referenced the increasingly active viral circulation across France. The incidence rate increased from 57 to 72 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in one week and the positive test rate is also increasing.
9,406 new cases were recorded in 24 hours according to the latest data from Public Health France. 40 people have died in the past 24 hours in hospitals.
106 new clusters were identified in 24 hours, bringing the number in France to 715.
Occitanie
On Friday September 11, the number of daily cases in total in Occitanie had increased from 418 on Friday September 4 to an average daily level of 670, with the percentage of positive tests increasing to 4.7% from 3.9% in the same period. On Friday September 11, hospitalisations had increased by 16 to 217. Of these, 43 were in critical care (an increase of 4) and 7 more people had died in hospital.
Pyrénées Orientales
On Friday September 11, hospitalisations in the Pyrénées Orientales had gone up from 8 to 11 since Friday September 4, of which 2 were in the ICU (the same as on September 4). There had been no more deaths.
For more statistics on Covid 19 in Occitanie, click here.
Cancer Support France-Languedoc (CSF-L), Covid-19 response
CSF-L continues to support Anglophones touched by cancer in the Hérault and Aveyron, as well as extending support to people touched by Covid-19 during the crisis. In line with guidance, this is done at distance. Our Helpline can be reached on 04 67 44 87 06. (This is a voicemail service and we aim to return calls within 24 hours of a message being left).
If there is information you would like to share with others, please contact us using our email address: feedback.csflanguedoc@gmail.com
We hope you stay safe and well.
CSF-Languedoc
