Covid-19 in France: new "flash" survey to better understand the progression of variants
Photo of a technician taking a Covid-19 screening test at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, May 12, 2020. AP - Jean-Francois Badias
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
The epidemic situation is still worrying in France.
A new Defense Council is due to meet this Wednesday, January 27 to determine whether the current curfew is sufficient to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
Among the new data to take into account: variants, which are more contagious.
At the start of the month, the British variant represented 1% of contaminations.
A new "flash" investigation, as they are called, will begin this Tuesday, January 26 to determine its progress.
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Ideally, this type of survey should be carried out every week to closely follow the evolution of the variants of the coronavirus.
This is, in any case, the wish of the authorities.
But the logistics are complex.
Take all the positive PCR tests, analyze them a second time to determine if the new variants are involved ... This is the principle of a
"flash" investigation
.
And, nearly three weeks after the premiere, France will make a new one this Tuesday and Wednesday.
Objective: to obtain a precise mapping of the implantation of variants in France
At the beginning of January,
the British variant
represented only 1% of new contaminations.
What is it now?
The response will be one of the elements taken into account by the government to adapt measures to fight the epidemic.
This variant is indeed more contagious, like those which appeared in South Africa and Brazil.
► To read also: What do we know about the different variants of Covid-19?
This second "flash" survey will thus make it possible to have a precise mapping of their establishment in France.
The current data are indeed only fragmentary, local.
We know, for example, that the British variant already represents a little less than 10% of cases in certain regions, including Île-de-France.
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