French Prime Minister positive for Covid with ‘slight symptoms’

Prime Minister Jean Castex has Covid after testing positive yesterday (November 22).

He took a test after his daughter, aged 11, also tested positive on Monday.

His entourage has stated that he has “slight symptoms”, Franceinfo reports.

Mr Castex will now self-isolate for 10 days, and his schedule will be readjusted in accordance with this.

People who test positive for Covid in France must quarantine for at least 10 days - longer if their symptoms persist. Mr Castex took a Covid test because he was in contact with his daughter.

You can read our guide to what to do if you have been in contact with a positive Covid case here: Covid contact case: Do vaccinated people have to quarantine in France?

Mr Castex was in Brussels yesterday morning to meet his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo for a meeting about security and countering terrorism. The Belgian prime minister is now quarantining after Mr Castex’s positive test announcement.

Four other members of the Belgian government who also took part in the meeting will also undergo a PCR test and remain in self-isolation until they have the results.

Mr Castex has already been a contact case (cas contact) of someone with Covid twice. The first time was after a dinner with President Emmanuel Macron in December last year, and the second time after his wife tested positive in June this year.

The prime minister is fully vaccinated and this is the first time he has tested positive for Covid.

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