The vaccination center of the Palais des Expositions, in Nice – SYSPEO / SIPA
How to explain that the Alpes-Maritimes, which remained for many weeks the department of metropolitan France most affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, are today among the best students? And by far. Continuing its decline that began in the middle of February, the area has even just passed below a very symbolic level.
On the map of France of the “incidence rate”, it is now displayed in green, synonymous with a number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants less than 50, 48 exactly Thursday, according to Public Health France. And this is a first since June 2020.
“Pulsating waves”
Effect of a vaccination wider than elsewhere, restrictions, climate, lifestyle or even the normal evolution of this third wave? For Professor Michel Carles, infectious disease specialist at the University Hospital of Nice, there “can not be only one justification”.
“It’s probably a bit of all of this at the same time,” explains the specialist at 20 minutes. It is difficult to determine with certainty if these are specific measures [le littoral azuréen était concerné avec quelques autres par un confinement le week-end fin février] or the natural evolution of this infectious disease, with pulsating waves, which had the greatest effect. But given that the peak has climbed faster than elsewhere in the Alpes-Maritimes, it is normal that it also comes down before. “
Vaccination encouraged for caregivers
Vaccination probably also played a role, according to the infectious disease specialist. “I do not know if there are more than elsewhere, but in any case punch operations, especially in Nice, have made it possible to protect certain audiences more massively more quickly,” he recalls.
As of May 18, according to the latest data available from the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Paca, 36.84% of inhabitants of the Alpes-Maritimes, all audiences combined, had received at least one injection of anti-Covid-19 serum. Still more than in the Bouches du Rhône (31.56%) where the incidence rate stood at 104 on Thursday.
Anyway, for this situation to continue on the Côte d’Azur, and while deconfinement has begun, Professor Michel Carles calls “for everyone to continue to respect barrier gestures and to ventilate spaces. closed ”. “We must also continue vaccination quickly and always more widely,” he said, also referring to the caregivers. I learned that in some nursing homes more than 50% are still not vaccinated. It needs to change. “