- The director of public health of the ARS warns that it is advisable to remain cautious about the evolution of the epidemic because there can be a second wave.
- To prepare for progressive deconfinement from May 11, action will have to be taken on three axes, in particular hygiene measures and the ramp-up of Covid-19 research tests to isolate positive patients.
- He underlines "some hopes", concerning certain treatments making it possible to limit the severity of the disease.
Director of public health at the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Dr. Daniel Habold gave an update this Monday on the evolution of the epidemic in the region, and the screening measures that will have to be taken in the coming weeks, in connection with deconfinement. Here is what to remember from his speech.
Stay cautious about deconfinement. Even if New Aquitaine remains relatively untouched by the epidemic, the figures "show us that we are not on a peak which is going down again, but on a plateau" insists Dr Daniel Habold. Viral circulation in the conditions of confinement that we know today, therefore still exists, which is to say how much we must be careful compared to the deconfinement envisaged from May 11. "
No further transfer of patients from other regions is planned. The objective of increasing the number of intensive care beds "has been achieved", estimates Dr. Daniel Habold, "since we still have a third of the beds available in New Aquitaine. "In addition," to date there is no longer any plan to transfer intensive care patients from regions under very high stress, but we continue to support them from the point of view of staff and resources. "
Increase in power on virus testing. To prepare for the next phase, that is to say the beginning of deconfinement, "we will have to act on three axes" insists Dr. Daniel Habold. “First there will be primary prevention, which consists in accentuating hygiene measures, barrier and distancing measures, to limit traffic. "
Secondary prevention will consist of measuring the epidemic in New Aquitaine to detect any new outbreak. This will involve “screening by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests on which we will ramp up in the coming weeks. "These tests" will be very largely based on populations who are symptomatic or in contact with Covid patients, in order to search for the virus. "A negative Covid test is" useless today ", assures Dr. Daniel Habold:" On an asymptomatic person there is a good chance that he is negative, which does not mean that he is not going to catch the disease within hours, or that it is not developing it. It is therefore not a protection passport that would allow you to return to your work station. The positive test, on the other hand, will lead to the operation of two fundamental elements: the isolation of the sick person, and the tracing of the people they may have met in the previous 48 hours. “We have been doing it since the start of the crisis, and that is how we have managed to stifle all the homes, but doing it across New Aquitaine will be a real challenge. "
Finally, tertiary prevention consists in continuing to mobilize the intensive care beds. "After the wave, there may be a wavelet, or even a second wave, warns Dr. Daniel Habold, so we must remain vigilant. "The director of public health also spoke of" some hopes "for treatments" to limit the severity of the disease and therefore limit mortality and patients going into intensive care. " "We are only at the beginning," he continues, "but I have never seen medical research progressing as fast as the past three months, that leaves hope for the months to come." "
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