On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization characterised Covid-19 as a pandemic. France is currently at stage 3 of the epidemic with the SARS-CoV-2 virus actively circulating countrywide.

In this context, the French High Council for Public Health (Haut Conseil de la santé publique, HCSP) has listed the people most at risk of developing a severe form of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and prioritised access to diagnostic tests.

This list of at-risk people was updated in a letter to the General Director of Health on 14 March.

A new statement on prevention and management of patients at risk of severe forms of Covid-19 as well as the prioritization of diagnostic tests, updating all of the recommendations, is expected to be released shortly.