France is “at the start of a new wave” of the Covid-19 epidemic, said the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, this Sunday, fearing an imminent repercussion on hospitals, for lack of sufficient vaccination.
“We are at the start of something that looks like an epidemic wave”, due to the spread of the Delta variant, a “new enemy because it is much more contagious”, declared the minister on Radio J.
“Four weeks behind” with the United Kingdom
“The hospital load for the moment is not increasing, but the same thing will happen as last summer, that is to say that the young people will infect the less young, and, because everyone is not vaccinated, you will have an increase in health pressure, an increase in serious cases and hospitalizations, ”Olivier Véran developed. According to him, a “small increase” in the activity of SOS doctors, especially in Ile-de-France, is a first sign.
The nearly 4,700 cases recorded on Saturday “could become 6,000 in a week, 10,000 in 15 days and rise above 20,000 in early August if we do not act”. He took the example of Great Britain, with which France has “four weeks of delay”: the country has risen to 30,000 daily cases, and hospital pressure “begins to increase by 30-40% per week, with already hospitals that deprogram care ”.
Vaccination, “the major tool against confinement”
In France, models from the Institut Pasteur “show that even if we managed to reduce the current epidemic dynamic by 15 or 20%, we could push back a wave of hospitals, reduce it and save many lives”, pleaded the Minister. . “If we didn’t have vaccines, we would face a much bigger wave than the 1st”, in spring 2020.
A few hours from a defense council and an intervention by President Macron, compulsory vaccination for caregivers “is a line of thought” to intensify the campaign. Vaccination is according to him “the major tool against confinement”, even if it is “not in favor” of making it compulsory for all French people over 12 years old, as recommended by the Academy of Medicine. . “We are examining all avenues to avoid whatever happens to have to close the country,” he concluded.