after the rebound in March, the start of a decline?

by time news

Is this the start of a downturn? A thrill, anyway. On April 2, for the first time since the beginning of March and the resumption of the epidemic, the number of daily Covid cases reported by Public Health France (132,114) showed a slight decline (by – 3%) and no longer a increase, compared to Saturday of the previous week.

If the downward trend “confirms”as provided “different models of the pandemic” and if the numbers “are consolidated” in the days to come, it would be ” good sign “ decrypts Yannick Simonin, lecturer in virology at the University of Montpellier. This would mean that after a rebound in March, “a new peak of this fifth wave would have been passed”according to the researcher, who nonetheless invites us to stay « prudent ».

A lasting downward trend?

The versatility of the virus encourages us not to rejoice too quickly. Three days ago, in its weekly epidemiological update covering the week of March 21 to 27, Public Health France (SPF) noted that the circulation of Covid-19 had “intensified throughout the territory”, and saw an increase in the number of new admissions to hospital and critical care. The report notably identified more than 685,000 possible cases of reinfections.

“We are never safe from the fact that the decline that began on April 2 will be slowed down, in particular by the small cold spell observed in recent days and the time lag between the infection and the moment when the disease breaks out”, points out Yannick Simonin. Especially since the famous BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant, which is more transmissible“is now the majority in France”, indicated Public Health France on April 1.

Maintaining barrier gestures

Despite the official lifting of most of the health restrictions, since March 14, the body therefore insists on the need to maintain, “individually”wearing a mask, “especially in closed spaces or in the presence of vulnerable people”hand washing and frequent airing of enclosed spaces.

→ ANALYSIS. Covid-19: how the Omicron variant weakens the vaccine strategy

Heavy barrier gestures, for some French people, but still necessary, it seems, while the latest DREES studies indicated, Friday 1is April, that“beyond three months”booster vaccination “no longer seems to protect against infections” and “protection against severe and serious forms is attenuated”. Even if, underlines the authority, the hospital incidences remain “significantly lower compared to unvaccinated people”.

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