Paris (AFP)
Variants of the coronavirus, such as milk on the fire: France is monitoring the rise of the English variant, which could eventually require new containment, and strengthens its measures against South Africa and Brazil, less widespread but potentially even more problematic .
Because if their circulation is "today in the minority", they "present a risk of immune and vaccine escape".
This means that the vaccines may be less effective against these two variants, which are also suspected of causing re-infections.
In question, particular genetic characteristics which the English variant does not possess.
All three seem more contagious.
According to the DGS, the isolation of people infected with the South African or Brazilian variant will increase to 10 days, compared to 7 usually, and a negative PCR test will be necessary to get out.
Finally, an entire class can be closed if a child, or even a member of his family, is infected with one of the two variants.
Not all schools are currently open, as the February holidays started on Saturday in the first of three zones.
Despite these specific measures, the English variant remains the first area of concern for the time being.
"The coming weeks are decisive. The English variant will dictate the course to follow", underlined the epidemiologist Arnaud Fontanet, member of the scientific council which guides the government, Monday on BFMTV.
- "Tipping point" -
The share of cases suspected of being variants (mainly English, but also South African or Brazilian) amounted to 14% of all cases detected in France on January 27, according to preliminary results made public Thursday.
This is significantly more than the 3.3% of positive cases attributed to the English variant on January 7 and 8.
At this rate, specialists expect the English variant to become the majority in France by early March.
To better follow this evolution, all positive PCR tests will now have to be reanalyzed with a technique allowing to detect the possible presence of the three variants, according to the note of the DGS.
Because the takeover of the English variant could constitute a "tipping point", with an increase in the number of cases and a resumption of the Covid-19 epidemic, warned on BFMTV the virologist Bruno Lina, responsible for surveillance investigations on the rise of variants.
Despite this, Emmanuel Macron and the government have made the bet not to impose new confinement for the moment.
"The government has chosen to preserve the economy, the social, the school because we are all exhausted by this repetition of confinements," said Professor Fontanet.
"If we see that it holds, why not, if we see that it continues on the same progression, it will take one moment or another to move to stronger measures".
"Today the picture is not very dark, we still have a possibility of controlling this virus", added Professor Lina.
"It is stagnating at a too high level", estimated on the contrary the epidemiologist Antoine Flahault on BFMTV, judging the choice of the executive "extremely perilous" and pleading for "a confinement, schools included, for a period limited ".
- First injection for Véran -
The number of daily contaminations has fluctuated between 20,000 and 26,000 since January.
It was Sunday of 19,715 confirmed cases in 24 hours.
Hospital pressure also stabilized this week under 28,000 hospitalized patients (27,652 Sunday, including 3,262 patients in intensive care).
In previous waves, the number of patients in sheaves reached 7,000 in the spring and 4,900 in the fall.
In parallel with the rise in cases, France is continuing its vaccination campaign.
The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, was injected in front of the cameras, Monday in Melun, the AstraZeneca vaccine, which this weekend became the third available in France.
Mr. Véran received it in his capacity as a neurologist: this vaccine should indeed be used in particular to vaccinate all caregivers, including those under the age of 50.
According to the minister, 270,000 doses of this vaccine have already arrived in France and some 300,000 additional are expected "within two days".
"From now on, it will have to deposit," he urged, hoping to be able "within 15 days to vaccinate all caregivers, firefighters and home helpers".
Against a background of limited supply, the vaccination campaign is struggling to move up a gear: we are currently at 1.9 million first injections and 252,000 complete vaccinations (first and second doses).
© 2021 AFP