On Europe 1, epidemiologist Dominique Costagliola believes that the current measures are not sufficient to counter the third wave of the coronavirus epidemic.

"I think that by taking stronger measures, but shorter, we would have had a better result," explains the one who pleaded for strict confinement in February.

INTERVIEW

Concern in schools, hospitals threatened with overflowing, 19 departments subject to severe restrictions ... Faced with a third wave of the coronavirus epidemic, France is today in a difficult situation, to the point that some are already anticipating a new strengthening of measures.

Like many specialists, Dominique Costagliola demanded from the beginning of the year strict confinement during the month of February, but then encountered the refusal of Emmanuel Macron, the president wanting at all costs to avoid putting the country again. stopped.

"The lessons have not been learned", regrets today the epidemiologist, invited Saturday from Europe 1. 

>> LIVE -

 Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation on Saturday March 24

Strict containment "would have made it possible to limit the spread of the virus"

For Dominique Costagliola, the measures taken by the government are not sufficient in the face of the scale of the crisis, in particular because of the virulence of the English variant.

"This variant is more transmissible, which means that the measures to contain the epidemic must be more important to achieve the same result as before," she explains.

"We have the impression that at the level of the decisions taken to control the epidemic, the lessons have not been learned."

"Controlling the epidemic does not mean waiting until there is a maximum number of people hospitalized in intensive care, it is stopping the circulation of the virus", continues Dominique Costagliola. 

Strict containment in February would have, according to her, "made it possible to limit the spread of this virus, and allowed the moment when it would have become dominant to be moved back, which would have made it possible to gain time to see the vaccine doses arrive".

And to insist: "We have a timing that is not right at all."

"The government has made confinement the absolute scarecrow"

But the government has for months ruled out the hypothesis of strict containment, in particular because of its impact on the economy, but also the weariness of the French in the face of restrictions.

"The government has made confinement the absolute scarecrow, and afterwards, it says it cannot do it because it is unpleasant for people", regrets Dominique Costagliola.

"But a situation in which we wait every Thursday to know what sauce we are going to be eaten with, without having any perspective, with whole sections of the economy that are at a standstill, I'm not sure that is managing at the end of the day. better the situation with the objective of minimizing damage, whether health, social and economic. "

CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS

> Covid-19: is there really a risk of contamination outside?

> Coronavirus: why can a PCR test be positive one month after infection?

> Are private parties really prohibited with the curfew?

> The English variant would cause slightly different symptoms

> Audio, webcams ... When technology adapts to teleworking

"I think that by taking stronger measures, but shorter, in the end, we would have had a better result," concludes Dominique Costagliola.