“There, it is very clearly an epidemic resumption which is linked to the arrival of new variants of the Omicron family, which are called BA4 BA5”supports Wednesday June 22 on franceinfo the infectiologist Anne-Claude Crémieux. “Variants that diffuse faster”, adds the infectious disease specialist. In one week, the number of new cases in France has thus jumped by almost 50%, with nearly 50,000 new infections per day on average over the period from June 12 to 18.
>> Covid-19: faced with the epidemic rebound, the authorities call on the oldest to carry out a new booster dose
franceinfo: Are we witnessing a resumption of the Covid epidemic in France?
Anne-Claude Cremieux: There, it is very clearly an epidemic resumption linked to the arrival of new variants of the Omicron family, which are called BA.4, BA.5 and which spread faster than the previous one, BA.2. We saw this BA.4 BA.5 arrive in South Africa, then in Portugal. So we know his behavior.
Who is getting sick today?
The first patients who arrive at the hospital, in the infectious disease departments – because for the moment, in intensive care, it is not increasing – they are elderly patients who have received two or three doses.
“It clearly shows that there is an erosion of the efficacy of the protection of the vaccine against severe forms, after four to six months.”
Anne-Claude Crémieux, infectiologistat franceinfo
Some people received their third dose more than nine months ago. These people are poorly protected against severe forms.
How are these new variants different from their cousins from last year and two years ago?
If we compare BA.4, BA.5 compared to BA.2 which caused a surge in March, BA.2 was already different from the Omicron variant of December-January because it was more transmissible . But he is no longer immune to the vaccine. Now we have BA.4, BA.5 which spread better than BA.2. This one, he escapes the vaccine a little better. And it shows the evolutionary capacity of the virus which is able to evade vaccines, at the same time as increasing its transmission. But we also know that the symptoms are not more severe.
Should we put the mask back on?
We have to adapt, and adapting means that the people at risk are the ones we are trying to protect. People over 60 can put the mask back on when they are in a very confined environment where, obviously, the risk increases. I am thinking more of very closed rooms with several hundred people. It could be the subway. On the street no. We must wear a mask when we are in contact. That is really very important and obviously, if you are symptomatic.
Today, we have 9 million French people eligible for the second booster dose of vaccine. This concerns people over 60 and immunocompromised people. But we see that in this category, vaccination is struggling to advance. What do you tell them?
I say that the protection after the booster, that is to say after the third dose, decreases as early as four months after this booster. Today, these people are poorly protected against severe forms. Yes, the vaccine remains our main weapon to protect against severe forms.