Professor Antoine Flahault, epidemiologist, director of the Institute of Global Health at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva, estimated Wednesday July 13 on franceinfo that the health pass “was not of great epidemiological interest” today. The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, however estimated that “time” was “severe” after the rejection by the opposition (Nupes-LR-RN) of the health pass at the borders.
franceinfo: How do you react to the rejection of the border health pass by the opposition in the National Assembly?
Professor Flahault: The health pass was introduced in France exactly one year ago. But at the time, it was put in place essentially to stimulate the vaccination coverage of the French. And it worked very well since France was practically in the front runner of the best vaccinated European countries. Today, the situation is very different. We do not have a vaccine that is very effective on the transmission of the virus.
The vaccine is very effective in preventing serious forms of the disease, those that lead us to hospital and sometimes even to death. But the vaccination coverage is very high and therefore, we don’t really need this vaccination pass today. It does not have this virtue of blocking the virus. The health pass at the borders, very clearly, is not of great interest from an epidemiological point of view. It is not the one that will be the measure that will make it possible to curb the spread of new variants or the entry of the virus into the territory.
It’s not just a political stunt, do you think?
It is not my competence the political side. The only message that may have been sent to the authorities and the government and which may be of interest is to get out of the vaccine altogether. We can clearly see today the limits of a policy completely centered on the vaccine. The vaccine is extremely important, it should not be questioned because it is thanks to vaccines that we have more containment. It is thanks to vaccines that we no longer have these curfews and quarantines.
The vaccine made it possible to desaturate the hospital tension clearly and, of course, to prevent a large number of deaths. But we see the limits of the vaccine. We still have those waves today. We must get out of an entirely vaccination policy. There must be other devices. I call for a ventilation plan at the national level, which would improve indoor air quality. This is where all the transmissions take place today. The indoor air really needs to be of much better quality today.
Should the mask be compulsory?
It’s the same, it’s very political. What scientists say is that the mask and especially the FFP2 mask, the most filtering, is a mask that reduces the load of viruses that will infect you if you are still infected, even while wearing the mask, because it can happen. It’s not 100%, but it reduces the risk. And if ever you are infected and you have much less virus, you will have a much less severe form and you will have long Covid much less often. So yes, the mask, it is necessary to advise it. Afterwards, it is up to politicians to decide whether it is by obligation, by recommendation. It’s not so scientific.