Coronavirus: "There will undoubtedly be a third and a fourth wave"

INTERVIEW

The health situation in France, faced with Covid-19, continues to deteriorate rapidly.

If for the moment only the metropolis of Aix-Marseille is on maximum alert in France, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, sent a warning to Grenoble, Toulouse, Saint-Etienne, Lille and Lyon, where the indicators are now red. 

But for Christine Rouzioux, professor of virology at Paris-Descartes University and member of the Academy of Medicine, the number of contaminations should continue to jump.

"I think we are at the foot of the second wave," she said at the microphone of

, the health program of Europe 1. "For me, there will probably be a third and a fourth wave, ”she adds.

"We do not know at all how we could make this virus disappear, knowing that all respiratory viruses return every winter, at the same time as influenza viruses", indicates this specialist.

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Towards a vaccine with necessary revaccinations

"This one seems to transform and mutate much less than the influenza viruses which force to change vaccine each year", notes Christine Rouzioux, however.

Good news therefore, since the stability of the coronavirus could facilitate the development of a vaccine.

"With the Covid, we would have a vaccine that could possibly be monomorphic."

Clearly, the vaccine would not have to be reformulated each season to remain effective.

However, the short duration of the immunity developed after infection suggests that it would take several vaccinations before an individual can acquire satisfactory resistance against the virus.

In May, a study conducted by the University of Amsterdam on ten men concluded in particular to a "worrying short duration of acquired immunity protecting against coronaviruses", probably not exceeding six months.

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"To prove the effectiveness of a vaccine, it must induce good immunity against the virus, but above all that it be shown that it protects against infection. It is not the same to have a little antibody and be really protected from infection, "insists Christine Rouzioux.

"On this point, the signals are not very good, because in coronavirus infections, immunity does not persist very much, three to six months. It will undoubtedly be necessary to vaccines with revaccinations", that is to say with a series of reminders.