The decision was finally taken very quickly. No sooner had flights to Brazil been banned, France has decided to impose a compulsory ten-day quarantine, with tests to back it up for all travellers from this country.
In an interview with France Info, epidemiologists explained that they considered Brazil to be " an open-air virus laboratory" . They believe that Amazon forest could become the the next epicentre of a new pandemic. This fear has been confirmed by the development of the pandemic in Manaus, Amazonia's largest metropolis with a population of two million. According to the city's Health Secretariat, Manaus is now facing a second deadly wave. As of April 14, it counted more than 165,000 people infected and 8,600 dead.
The Brazilian strain of the virus has forced the French government to suspend flights to Brazil until 23 April inclusive. On that date only the following will be admitted on the territory French and European nationals resident in the EU. They must first complete a PCR test less than 36 hours old, compared with the usual 72 hours. Or a PCR test less than 72 hours old with a negative antigen test less than 24 hours old. In addition to another antigen test on arrival at the airport, travellers are likely to have to undergo another test on D+8.
Government U-turn
Once the test has been carried out, travellers will be taken to the site of their compulsory ten-day quarantine. Visit choice of location from this harsh isolation remains at the discretion of travellers. However, the police or gendarmerie will check that this measure is being complied with at home, as indicated by government spokesman Gabriel Attal. In the event of a breach, a a fine of between €1,500 and €3,000 (in the event of a repeat offence) will apply.
In addition to Brazil, these measures also affect neighbouring countries. In this caseArgentina, Chile, South Africa and French Guiana. In the latter, a antigenic test on arrival will also be carried out at the airports of Guadeloupe and Martinique.
We are therefore seeing a reversal in the policy of controlling travellers' arrivals, with much more coercive isolation measures. This leads us to believe that the government could now impose a quarantine similar to other countries where the pandemic is rampant.
In an interview on Sunday 18 April on France 3, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian admitted, for example, that "India is experiencing an extremely serious pandemic situation". On 18 April, the country recorded 275,000 new cases of Covid and 1,600 deathsbreaking an all-time record. The Minister admitted that he had to " We have to ask ourselves this question, [even if] for the moment India is not on the list of countries for which we are imposing much stricter health measures."The decision therefore seems imminent.
Turkey to watch in Europe
Other countries outside the EU could also be affected. If we look at the figures for countries with very high levels of contamination, we find the following Philippines, the Colombia (more than 10,000 cases a day) or theIran (21,600 cases on Sunday 18 April).
Closer to France, the Turkey (55,800 new cases at 18 April) and theUkraine (10,280 contaminations) could find themselves on a list of high-risk countries.
Within the European Union, in addition to theGermany and Italy with the number of contaminations fluctuating daily between 10,000 and 20,000 new casesWe can also highlight the Poland among the countries worst affected by the pandemic. Even if these countries are far from reaching the contamination levels recorded in Francethe EU country most affected by the virus.
