“The French team of healthcare workers is ready,” assures Frédéric Valletoux, Minister of Health

Compared to a normal summer in the Ile-de-France region, “4% more activity in hospital services” is expected during the Olympic period, the minister told franceinfo.

“The French healthcare team is ready” to face the influx of visitors during the Olympic Games, “it has been preparing for this event for months”assures Frédéric Valletoux, Minister Delegate for Health and Prevention, guest of franceinfo Tuesday July 23. “We expect 4% more activity in hospital services”compared to a usual summer in Ile-de-France during this period, “It’s a manageable peak”the minister believes.

“The schedules are ready” and some “organizations were put in place and were prepared since last October-November to plan caregivers’ leave”he adds. “Thirteen hospitals are mobilized”including the Public Assistance – Paris Hospitals in Ile-de-France, with “80 out of 800 AP-HP services designated as frontline”.

Furthermore, Frédéric Valletoux promises that everything has been done to “that there is no break in care for those who have long-term treatments”. “Wherever there are trials, hospital lines are ready”insists the Minister of Health.

A health crisis center “which works 24 24 hours a day, seven days a week”was set up to operate “vigilance of possible health and epidemic events”explains Frédéric Valletoux. “Every night, several dozen people work there and several hundred, in total, provide this service on a rotating basis so as to be able to react to an epidemiological crisis or a heat wave that needs to be accompanied”the minister said.

According to him, there is no “no risk of cluster”regarding the circulation of Covid-19 during the Olympic Games because “we are at very low levels”compared to the years 2020-2021, even if “Covid is still here”.