The figures do not lie: for the second consecutive week in the Grand-Est, “we are seeing a 30% increase in Covid-19 cases, with 71,600 cases for the whole region, against 55,000 the previous week”, observes Michel Vernay, head of Public Health France in the Grand-Est region. “There is a strong epidemic recovery. »
Stronger than elsewhere? The epidemiologist wants to be cautious: “I would have a hard time telling you if there is a regional specificity, because we are seeing the recovery in all regions, which affects all age groups, with amplitudes varying according to the departments. Michel Vernay confirms, however, that “the number of deaths in healthcare establishments, which amounts to 80 on average over the last two weeks, is no longer falling”.
Less respect for barrier gestures
The head of Public Health France in the Grand-Est puts forward three hypotheses to explain the reasons for an early recovery compared to other regions: “The first is the lower respect for barrier gestures, already observed in February. The second is an increasing circulation of the BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant, a little more contagious than BA.1, on the order of 17%. »
Finally, the epidemiologist also notes “a recovery among 0-9 year olds and 30-39 year olds”: “We can think that it is linked to the resumption of community life and the end of school holidays, as we have seen it in other areas of Zone B.”
Among them, Brittany. The epidemic rebound in Finistère and Côtes-d’Armor is not surprising. If Brittany has the best French vaccination coverage, it has also been less affected by the virus. The inhabitants of the four departments have been less exposed to Covid-19 since its arrival on our territory in the spring of 2020 and have less natural immunity.
It can also be pointed out that the incidence rate fell less in Brittany than elsewhere. Simply because the Omicron wave hit the area later and therefore took longer to dissipate. “There is a small lag effect in the region. The decline in Brittany will undoubtedly be a little off, “said Véronique Anatole-Touzet, director of the Rennes University Hospital, at the end of January.
64 classes closed in the Rennes academy
In Finistère, some schools have even decided to reimpose the wearing of masks on their students and staff, especially in Brest. “We were part of the first zone of the February holidays. The population mix was greater here than elsewhere, ”notes the Finistère prefecture.
The return of children to school already dates back to February 21 in the region and cases in schools remain numerous. On Friday, 64 classes were closed in the Rennes academy. Just over 3,500 students were positive over the past 7 days out of a total of more than 600,000 students. A low share (0.59%), but which increased slightly with nearly 500 new cases in 24 hours.
“It is absolutely necessary to protect fragile people and those around them”
In this context, Nicolas Lefebvre, head of the infectious and tropical diseases department at the University Hospitals of Strasbourg, underlines “the interest of keeping the mask as recommended”, while the epidemic resumption of Covid-19 is combined with a epidemic of gastroenteritis and that, late, of influenza.
At the risk of adding a little more to “Hospital tension in the emergency room”, insists the specialist: “It is absolutely necessary to protect fragile people and their entourage. “Before concluding on” a small message of hope “: “In my opinion, we are starting to have a minimum appear at the level of collective immunity. “Michel Vernay, he urges the population to” still make an effort to spend a relatively serene summer “.