Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne spoke this Tuesday, November 29 at the podium of the National Assembly about the Covid. Faced with more and more experts alerting to the imminence of a ninth wave, the president of the Health Risk Watch and Anticipation Committee, known as Covars, spoke on Monday 28 november.
The head of government took her message to the benches of the Assembly, relaying the recommendations of her expert colleague, as reported by BFM. Indeed, Elisabeth Borne says that we are right to “sound the alarm”: the numbers are somewhat frightening. The current inventory counts an average of 40,000 cases per day, as well as a 10% increase in the number of hospitalizations in one week. For the transition to critical hospital care, the increase is even 22%! Finally, there are nearly 400 deaths linked to Covid in the past week alone.
The Prime Minister insists on the seriousness of the situation: “This new wave reminds us: the virus has not disappeared, the epidemic still strikes, the epidemic still kills.” She then tackles one of the most sensitive and crucial topics: the burden on public health services, mainly the public hospital.
Fears crystallize around one term: triple epidemic. From Covid, therefore, but also from bronchiolitis and seasonal flu. The latter promises to be particularly virulent this year: five regions are already in the pre-epidemic phase, and the effects are beginning to be felt in hospitals.
The Head of Government then goes on to announce the measures and recommendations taken in the face of this situation, which unfortunately is no longer unprecedented.
A measure that has already been taken by the executive: the triggering of the so-called “ORSAN plan”, which aims, among other things, to facilitate the mobilization of all healthcare personnel. The objective is obviously to try to alleviate the pressure on hospital services, in particular in the emergency room and in critical care.
The Prime Minister then reiterated the recommendations made to the French for several weeks already. Wearing a mask is very strongly recommended in closed crowded places such as transport, and obviously when in contact with fragile people. Finally, Elisabeth Borne insisted on the importance of respecting barrier gestures: “These are small gestures that save lives. They are decisive in reversing the epidemic”. What about vaccination?
Finally, the Prime Minister called for vaccination against the flu, vaccination which is down 25% compared to last year… The French should also update their vaccination schedule, and therefore have the booster doses injected who they miss. She reiterates the injunction to solidarity with the nursing staff: “Get vaccinated, it protects, and it protects our hospital.”
The president of Covars Brigitte Autran had also called on the mayors of France to reopen the vaccination centers, precisely to allow the French to benefit from maximum protection against the virus.