Covid-19: declared a contact case, Jean Castex placed in septaine

Published on : 06/09/2021 – 22:06

The French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, is in contact with the coronavirus and has been placed in isolation for a period of seven days, announced, Wednesday, June 9, the services of Matignon. The wife of the head of government has tested positive for Covid-19.

“The Prime Minister, who had received his first injection of Astra Zeneca vaccine on March 19, tested negative this evening,” said the Prime Minister’s services. “Nevertheless, as a contact case, he is placed in solitary confinement for seven days, in accordance with health rules”, and “his agenda has been arranged so that he can keep his commitments at a distance”, we have added from same source.

The Prime Minister on Wednesday participated in the Council of Ministers, which met almost entirely at the Elysee Palace for the first time since October, due to restrictions linked to the Covid-19 crisis.

Jean Castex had also, on Wednesday, marked the new stage of deconfinement by a visit to the Rungis market and then to a sports hall, meeting many people there, and having lunch face to face with the Minister of ‘Economy, Bruno Le Maire.

Contact case for the third time

The Prime Minister is forced to isolate himself for the third time in less than a year, after being declared a contact case of the director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, in September, then of Emmanuel Macron in December, without however being never tested positive.

Jean Castex must also receive his second dose of vaccine shortly: he had received the first eleven and a half weeks ago, on March 19, the health authorities recommending a period of twelve weeks between the two injections.

This quarantine should, however, allow the Prime Minister to carry out part of his travels within the framework of the campaign for regional elections next week, as the first round approaches.

With AFP