Coinciding with an unprecedented spread of bronchiolitis.. the ninth wave of Corona hits France

Paris -

Less than a month before the celebration of Christmas, and on the impact of a severe cold wave hitting the old continent, France and Europe are experiencing a ninth wave of the Corona virus, amid a significant increase in the number of infections as a result of the emergence of the new, rapidly spreading variant "BQ. 1.1" (BQ. 1.1).

This wave comes in an already tense health situation in France;

Hospitals are facing an epidemic of bronchiolitis on an unprecedented scale, while seasonal influenza is raising fears of a "triple" effect.

Yesterday and the day before yesterday (Thursday and Friday), the capital Paris and several French cities witnessed a strike by doctors, laboratory technicians and radiologists, to demand better working conditions and to raise the medical examination tariff from 25 to 50 euros, and to put pressure on the government before it discusses the social security budget in the National Assembly.

The new Corona wave in France comes with record highs in the number of people with bronchiolitis (Reuters)

High injuries

The virus recovered, taking advantage of the return of cold weather that facilitates its spread, and infections rose significantly. According to the latest update of the French Ministry of Health yesterday evening, Friday, infections increased to 59,000 confirmed infections within 24 hours, while the number of patients in intensive care departments reached 1,137 patients.

According to the French Ministry of Health, on the Friday before last, 48 thousand and 629 new injuries were reported in France, compared to 33 thousand and 177 injuries the previous Friday, an increase of 46%.

And with the expectation of the competent medical authorities that the number of infections will exceed the threshold of 70,000 per day in the next few period, especially with the discovery of the new rapidly spreading variant “BQ 1.1”, there is a real fear that the strong return of the epidemic will lead to the exhaustion of the health system.

For his part, a cardiologist in Paris hospitals, Mohamed Ghannam, explained that the virus has never disappeared, but is developing in the form of different waves.

He attributed the new wave to the drop in temperatures, and the intensive resumption of social activity without taking preventive measures.

Ghannam also points out - in his speech to Al-Jazeera Net - that the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases, which decreases after a few months, and called for quickly boosting doses, especially the fourth dose for ages over 65 years, in addition to influenza vaccination to avoid increasing the burden on hospitals in the coming months.

the bell of danger

In light of the new wave of the epidemic, Prime Minister Elizabeth Born sounded the alarm during an accountability session for the government in the National Assembly (French Parliament) last Tuesday, and launched an appeal for the need to “respect health measures and wear a mask,” especially in the presence of “people at risk of infection or in Crowded areas, such as public transportation.

"These simple precautions save lives," she said, adding that "this wave reminds us that the virus has not disappeared, strikes again, and kills again."

Bourne reported a nearly 10% increase in hospitalizations over one week, and a 22% rise in the need for intensive care, with 400 deaths recorded last week.

And she stressed that hospitals will face additional pressures, because in addition to the return of the Corona epidemic, "there is an epidemic of bronchiolitis, and its infections are the highest in recent years, in addition to the seasonal influenza epidemic."

As for the former Minister of Health and government spokesman, Olivier Veran, he called during a cabinet meeting - last Tuesday - the French to vaccinate against the emerging corona virus and seasonal influenza.

He added that receiving influenza vaccines this year was 15% less compared to 2021, stressing that vaccination against the Corona virus would avoid additional pressure on hospitals.

French Ministry of Health figures indicate that so far only 5 million French have been vaccinated against influenza.

In the same context, Dr. Ghannam indicated that, at the present time, Corona infection is due to the mutated Omicron of the type “BA.4” (BA.4) and “B.

A5 ″ (BA.5), and warned of the new mutant (B.Q. 1.1), which “we must pay attention to its properties that we do not know well yet,” as he put it.

The new mutant replaces Omicron “PA5”, while a French study - conducted by the “Pasteur Institute” and published by the newspaper “Liberation” - indicates that the advanced capabilities of the new mutant make it more widespread and allow it to resist human immunity more strongly compared to mutants. previous.

While Ghannam noted that the resistance of the new mutant to the vaccine can only be partial, and the vaccine remains relatively effective against it.

French health authorities talk about insufficient vaccination rates to confront the new wave of corona (Reuters)

Vaccination is not enough

During the past weeks, many health bodies, such as the National Academy of Medicine and the Committee for Monitoring and Predicting Health Risks, called for a return to compulsory masks, especially in public transport, but the government chose the principle of appealing to everyone's "responsibility".

The Public Health Authority encouraged the French to update their coronavirus vaccine since the beginning of last October, and the need to take a booster dose for people at risk.

Although the rate of vaccination of the French amounted to about 80%, the rate of reinforcement with the second dose was very late and is considered very low in most age groups.

Therefore, the French Ministry of Health clarified - last Tuesday - that today's vaccination levels are "insufficient", and because "there are only 3 weeks left until Christmas, the focus must now be on stimulation and awareness."

While Dr. Ghannam stressed that if preventive measures are not taken quickly, such as re-compulsory wearing of masks on public transportation, the situation in hospitals will be more dangerous.

He expected the ninth wave to reach its peak at the end of December, and this coincides with New Year's gatherings and celebrations, and at that time the hospitals will be full, given 3 reasons: the large number of people infected with the Corona virus, seasonal influenza, and the lack of staff and nursing staff.

According to the latest update of the French Ministry of Health, yesterday evening, Friday, the Corona epidemic has claimed more than 159,000 lives in France, and more than 6.6 million deaths in the world, according to the World Health Organization.