Medics urge caution as France lifts Covid restrictions

As of Monday March 14, the French government has announced that it is easing the majority of anti-Covid restrictions, despite signs that case numbers are on the increase again.

Masks will no longer be compulsory, with the exception of transport and health environments. The vaccination pass, which requires being vaccinated against Covid to access many public places, has also been lifted (except for healthcare settings).

When the government announced the easing of restrictions, cases were falling and the mood was optimistic. However, in recent days the number of new confirmed cases has risen again: the average number of recorded cases for the last seven days was 65,250, against 50,646 a week earlier.

But the medics are urging caution, despite the fact that 80% of people are vaccinated and that a significant proportion have already been affected by the virus. Their concern is largely to do with new variants, which are more transmissible and unpredictable in their severity. 

“It’s too early to turn the Covid page even if we really want to! We must remain vigilant”, said Rémi Salomon, président de la commission d’établissement de l’AP-HP (Hôpitaux de Paris).

Many businesses, having been hit hard by the pandemic, are understandably keen to get back to normal. Restaurants, entertainment venues and retail establishments need to return to full capacity, having lost revenue for two consecutive years.

Most office-based organisations, even those that have weathered the storm well, want their staff back as a physical presence because – for companies to really thrive – they need live interaction. Not just talking, but meeting. Personal contact and face-to-face brainstorming are known to stimulate new ideas and champion corporate culture.

While medics and economists may never concur, there is universal agreement on the importance of ventilation to remove airborne particle concentrations in shared spaces. This message is resonating widely and a recent global survey reported that employees are concerned about office air quality. 62% of respondents said they would leave their job if their employer does not take necessary measures to create a healthier indoor environment and 43% said that outdated ventilation systems pose a threat to their safety.

In many offices, the World Health Organization’s recommended air change rate of 10 litres per second per person is an unrealistic expectation, especially in conference rooms with high occupancy levels and back to back meetings. In such circumstances, the WHO recommends using a stand-alone air cleaner with HEPA filters as a practical solution to protect and reassure staff and thereby encourage a return to the office.

Rensair air purification units meet all the standards recommended by the WHO and RSDT. The unique, patented combination of HEPA filtration and germicidal UVC light traps and inactivates a minimum of 99.97% of airborne viruses, including Covid-19. As well as protecting the workforce and minimising absenteeism, clean air has a significant impact on cognitive function and productivity.

At no cost, we can schedule a Rensair technician to analyse your floor plans, existing mechanical ventilation and occupancy rates before providing you with a proposal for how to achieve good indoor air quality throughout your spaces.

Book an appointment