Phase 2 of Déconfinement
This afternoon, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe outlined the different elements of the second phase of France’s déconfinement strategy.
Here’s a breakdown of what was said.
Key dates & information
Phase 2 will run from Tuesday 2nd June to Monday 22nd June.
Phase 3 will begin from Monday 22nd June and continue throughout the summer.
The rate of infection has dropped considerably and the figures are better than had been hoped for at the beginning of Phase 1 back on the 11th May.
M. Philippe assured listeners that freedom would become the rule and restriction would become the exception.
Traffic light system
Today only 2 departments on mainland France have a status of orange: Val d’Oise and l’Ile de France. The overseas territories of Guyane and Mayotte also remain orange. All others have passed to green.
Nevertheless, the virus is still present and circulating, meaning that all citizens, residents and visitors should remain vigilant.
Previously, status was calculated according to the circulation of the virus, the availability of beds in hospitals and the availability of tests.
During this second phase, status will be attributed according to 4 indicators:
- Incidence of the virus (n° people infected per 1000 people) : Vigilance threshold is set between 10 and 50 people per 1000, passing to alert over 50
- Rate of tests with positive results : Today the rate of positive results is 1.9%, 10 times lower than at the height of the epidemic
- R effectif : the rate of virus propagation. The threshold is set at R < 1, which means that an infected person will infect, on average, less than one other person
- Hospital bed occupancy : vigilance threshold has been reduced to 40%, alert threshold to 60%
Orange status will be attributed to any region that passes the vigilance threshold for any 2 or these 4 indicators.
Tests
The PCR test is the only test that can identify if you are currently infected. The test serologique will identify anti-bodies, which will tell you if you have been infected in the past. Both tests are readily available and 100% covered by Assurance maladie if prescribed by a doctor.
Even if you have a positive test serologique, you must still respect social distancing and hygiene protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.
Stop Covid Application
With a lifting of restrictions, movements and contact between people will increase. Coming into contact with people we do not know means that in the case of infection, tracking the spread is more complicated.
The free mobile application, Stop Covid, has been designed in collaboration with medical professionals to help counter this problem.
The app will alert users is they have been in prolonged close contact (less than 1m for over 15 minutes) with someone who later tests positive for Covid 19.
All users will remain anonymous and data will only be held temporarily.
Without going in to technical details, the Prime Minister assured listeners that the app would respect privacy laws and had been approved by CNIL, France’s watchdog for data protection.
Education
In green zones, all primary schools, collèges and lycées will be reopened over June.
In primary schools, priority will be given to children who need it most but places will be made available for any children who want to go back at some point during the week. Classes will remain limited to 15.
A new sport-santé-culture-civisme programme will be put in place, running extra-curricular activities during school time for students who cannot attend classes due to restriction of numbers.
Lycées will also reopen, with priority given to Bac-Pro students because of the high drop-out rate. The Baccélaureat will be awarded on marks obtained during the first two semesters combined with ongoing evaluation during lesson time.
Restaurants, cafes and bars
These establishments will be able to open with the following guidelines:
- Groups of up to 10 can eat at the same table
- A distance of 1m must be respected between tables
- All staff, kitchen and front of house, must wear a mask
- Clients must wear a mask when moving around the establishment
- No standing consumption (bars and cafes)
Holidays & travel
All travel restrictions will be lifted within mainland France. Tourism accommodation can open in all green zones, and in orange zones from 22nd June.
A decision will be made between European countries on the 15th June regarding opening international borders to world zones outside of the continent. From this same date, France will reopen its borders to European travel, operating a reciprocal agreement on quarantine periods as decided by individual countries.
Travellers to and from Guyane and Mayotte will be required to self-isolate for 14 days until further notice.
Culture
Beaches, lakes, parks and public gardens will be opened across the country although gatherings must be limited to a maximum of 10 people.
In green zones, open air venues will be able to host events for up to 5000 people. Theatres and indoor venues will be able to welcome the public if they can guarantee social distancing. Masks will be obligatory.
Cinemas will remain closed until 22nd June, when for programming reasons, they will open nationally.
Gyms and swimming pools will reopen although stadia and contact sports remain off-limits. Reopening will be discussed on the 22nd June.
Work
Working from home should continue where possible. If not possible, social distancing and hygiene protocols must be respected.
Vulnerable workers who cannot work from home will continue to receive financial help until such a time as it is safe for them to go back to work.
