The peak of the rebound of the epidemic has passed according to Olivier Véran, the second booster dose open to people aged 60 and over, less than 10,000 injections of Novavax at this stage in France...
Le Figaro
takes stock this Thursday, April 7 on the latest information related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
For the government, the peak of the rebound of the epidemic has passed
The government estimated on Thursday that the peak of the rebound in the Covid-19 wave was now behind us, while opening the second booster dose of the vaccine to people aged 60 and over who want it.
"
We have passed the peak of the rebound
" of the Covid-19 epidemic, said the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, on RTL radio.
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Between 140,000 and 150,000 new contaminations are recorded daily on average.
“
It's been down about 5% now for five days.
It must be confirmed over time, in any case we are not witnessing the tidal wave of 500,000 cases which we witnessed a few weeks ago
, ”added Olivier Véran.
Contaminations have indeed stopped rising, according to data from health authorities.
Thus, with 161,950 positive cases recorded in 24 hours by Public Health France on Wednesday, the average for the last seven days stands at nearly 135,000 cases, after having exceeded 140,000 last Friday.
The second booster dose open to people aged 60 and over, announces Véran
The second booster dose of vaccine against Covid-19 will be open to people aged 60 and over, whose last injection dates back more than six months, announced Thursday the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran.
"
We will be able to open this 2nd booster dose for French people aged 60 and over if they are six months from their last booster injection
", without it becoming compulsory, the minister said on RTL radio.
Until now, this dose was reserved for people aged 80 and over, an announcement made by Prime Minister Jean Castex in mid-March in the face of the rebound of the pandemic.
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“
We know that a booster injection, when you are 60 years old and over, reduces the risk of hospitalization, resuscitation and death by 80%.
Even if this risk is lower today than it was with previous variants and when there was no vaccination coverage, there is a residual risk.
We can reduce it by four, so we propose it
, ”argued Olivier Véran, relying on a recommendation from the High Health Authority.
This measure, which is therefore not compulsory, concerns 500,000 French people aged 60 and over who are six months or more from their last injection, specified Olivier Véran: “
During the circulation of the virus, it is as much reduction of a hospital impact.
We know that our hospitals need to breathe
.
"SEE ALSO - Covid-19: Olivier Véran announces the opening of the second booster dose "
to French people aged 60 and over
"
The increase in tests continues but at a slower pace
The number of Covid-19 screening tests has increased for the fourth consecutive week but “
at a slower pace
”, according to figures published Thursday by the Ministry of Health which estimates that “
we have passed the peak of the rebound
” of the 'epidemic.
Between March 28 and April 3, more than 4 million antigen and PCR tests were carried out, against more than 3.8 the previous week, specifies the Directorate of Statistics (Drees) in a press release.
Demand is therefore still increasing, but at a much slower pace than in recent weeks.
Read alsoCovid: the increase in tests continues but at a slower pace
Covid-19 increases risk of blood clots up to 6 months after infection, study finds
Covid-19 increases the risk of developing serious blood clots for up to six months after infection, shows a study published Thursday in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
This Swedish study reveals an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in the leg) up to three months after infection with Covid-19, pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs) up to six month later and a bleeding event up to two months later.
This risk is higher in patients with comorbidities and those with severe Covid-19.
It was more marked during the first pandemic wave compared to the second and third waves, also underlines the study.
We already knew that Covid-19 increases the risk of serious blood clots (known as venous thrombosis), but we had less information on how long this risk was increased and whether it varied during the different epidemic waves.
” SEE ALSO – Covid-19: a German is vaccinated 87 times to resell his certificates to antivax
Novavax: less than 10,000 injections at this stage in France
Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine, presented as an alternative for those feared by messenger RNA vaccines, has been used for less than 10,000 injections so far, "
results a little below expectations
", indicated Thursday the Ministry of Health.
Health authorities hoped that this vaccine from the American laboratory, the fifth available in France, would convince people who were reluctant to be vaccinated with messenger RNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, based on previously unpublished technology.
“
The results are a little below expectations: 9,700 injections with this vaccine have been recorded
,” the ministry said during a press briefing on the vaccination campaign in France.
The first injections took place at the beginning of March.
These are "
mostly first doses: 6195
", according to the same source.
As hypotheses on the lack of appetite for this vaccine in France, the ministry notes that it "
arrived a little late
" and that it is "
usable only for the primary vaccination, it is not possible as a booster
" .
.
“
The results are a little below what we hoped for, but the story is not over.
It is possible that the scientific recommendations will evolve and lead to it also being used as an abseiling, which could give it a little boost
,” added the same source.
Read alsoVaccines: how BioNTech and Moderna are preparing for the post-Covid period
Bitter failure for the German chancellor on compulsory vaccination
Snub for Olaf Scholz: the German Chancellor, already criticized for his lack of charisma, failed Thursday to pass a compulsory vaccination project against Covid-19, however largely emptied of its substance.
A bill to this effect, resulting from a promise by Angela Merkel's successor, obtained 296 votes in favor but was rejected by 378 deputies of the Bundestag.
Nine members of the lower house of the German parliament abstained.
The Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbach, immediately assured that the objective of compulsory vaccination was not “
abandoned
”, in order to “
avoid unnecessary victims in the fall
”.
Read alsoCovid-19: 218,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine thrown away in France
Taiwan moves away from zero Covid strategy
Taiwan's health minister said on Thursday that the island would stop trying to keep the coronavirus infection rate to zero and focus on the worst cases and eventually favor a strategy to live with it. the virus.
»SEE ALSO – After separating Covid-19 positive children from their parents, Shanghai partially reverses its decision
Asked during a parliamentary session on Thursday whether Taiwan was in a “
transition phase
” to live with the virus, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung replied: “
Yes, we can say so.
“
We will not stop our journey towards openness, it is our direction, but we will maintain efficient management.
The main focus now is on mitigating the damage
,” he said.
Read alsoShanghai containment marks the failure of China's anti-Covid strategy
Hong Kong defends temporary suspension of flights in case of infected passengers
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Thursday defended a move to temporarily ban airlines if coronavirus cases were imported into the territory, despite industry warnings that the city had lost its control. air traffic hub status.
The city's airport, previously one of the busiest in the world, has been largely cut off from the world since the start of the pandemic, with Hong Kong pursuing a strict zero Covid health policy, in the wake of China.
The measure defended by Carrie Lam on Thursday consists of suspending for 7 days the route served by any airline that has transported at least three infected passengers on a single flight.
According to the chief executive, the flights bring infected passengers, thus importing cases into Hong Kong "
probably due to the very relaxed approach adopted in many places
" around the world.
