The HCSP proposes a general doctrine and a decision-making matrix to assist the policy of progressive reopening of Public Accesses Buildings (PAB) according to the following principles

• taking into account the new protection and screening tools (vaccination and self-tests) in addition to 7 barrier measures;
• simple, understandable, applicable and adaptable guidelines;
• phases of deconfinement determined by the achievement of predefined objectives rather than by calendar deadlines;
• the criticality of the PABs defined by the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, taking into account their configuration and activities, including those that present limits to the respect of barrier measures;
• the rate of vaccination coverage in the general population as an essential indicator of progress in deconfinement;
• strengthening the capacity to involve the most vulnerable populations through programmes aimed at improving psychosocial skills.

The HCSP recommends to identify the levels of epidemic risk on the basis of indicators related to vaccine coverage, incidence and hospital tension to guide the timing of the reopening of PAB. At the same time, it defines a level of criticality of the EPAB as low, medium or high, depending on whether the activities are carried out outdoors or indoors and whether the application of all the barrier measures is possible or not.

The HCSP thus proposes a decision-making matrix crossing the levels of epidemic risk and the levels of criticality of the PAB. The strategy for the gradual opening of PAB is conditioned by these two criteria and is based on three preventive measures: compliance with barrier measures, use of self-tests and gradual management of the density of people (gauge). The HCSP recommends a permanent prospective evaluation of the effectiveness of the measures and their costs/societal impacts.