COVID-19: France Imposes A Quarantine On Travelers From Brazil And South Africa

France will introduce a mandatory ten-day quarantine for travelers from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and South Africa, in the face of concerns about the variants of Covid-19, announced Matignon on Saturday.

Flights with Argentina, Chile and South Africa are maintained, while Paris announced on Tuesday the suspension of air links with Brazil to limit the spread of a local variant. But travelers from these four countries will now have to undergo a 10-day isolation, accompanied by restriction of exit times, with increased fines.

Guyana also concerned

To justify maintaining flights with Argentina, Chile and South Africa, Paris says that the presence of variants there “does not reach the levels observed in Brazil”. But travelers from these three countries, as well as from Brazil, will now have to undergo a 10-day isolation, accompanied by restriction of exit times, with increased fines.

This measure, which will be gradually implemented until its full entry into force on Saturday April 24, will also apply to travelers from Guyana and systematic antigenic tests will be implemented on arrival for journeys from Guyana. towards the West Indies.

“A verification system will be put in place, before boarding and then on arrival, the existence of a quarantine place adapted to health requirements and quarantine compliance checks will be carried out at home by the police or the national gendarmerie, accompanied by increased fines in the event of non-compliance with isolation, ”said Matignon.

The list of authorized persons soon to be restricted

In addition, for people arriving from these four countries, and from Saturday April 24, the list of reasons and categories of people authorized to come to France will be restricted, for the most part, only to nationals, their spouses and children, and nationals of the European Union or of a third country having their main residence in France.

The test system before boarding will also be reinforced: a negative PCR test of less than 36 hours (instead of 72 hours), or a negative PCR of less than 72 hours accompanied by a negative antigen test of less than 24 hours will now be needed. The performance of an antigen test will be made systematic on arrival in France, before leaving the airport.

These new measures come “while the epidemic situation is stabilizing on the national territory”, according to Matignon. They will be discussed with European partners “at the start of the week” and other countries could still join the list, on the basis of criteria identified by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).


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