The week of “all dangers”. This expression was used by the Minister of Health François Braun this Wednesday, December 28, when he is worried about the health situation for the next few days in France. Weakened by the lack of staff, our health system is currently facing a triple epidemic of Covid-19, influenza and bronchiolitis, which could further complicate the situation on the ground.
During a trip to Haute-Savoie on Wednesday, the Minister of Health said, quoted by Le Monde: “In this triple epidemic, we are coming to a slightly calmer phase with regard to Covid and bronchiolitis” . With regard to the flu, François Braun noted “an explosion of cases, also with serious cases, which mean that the resuscitation services in a global way are saturated”. “This week is a bit of a week of all dangers, but the mobilization of personnel is absolutely complete and the system manages to hold up,” he added, wanting to be reassuring.
The number of new Covid-19 contaminations is down in France, with -52% in seven days and an incidence rate which fell by 25% at Christmas time. It is now at 421 per 100,000 inhabitants in France as a whole. These encouraging signs show that the peak of the ninth wave is behind us, but a new fact worries the French authorities: the explosion of cases in China. After months of a strict policy called “zero-Covid”, the country relaxed its restrictions in early December and is now facing a very significant increase in contamination. Around the world, several states are concerned about the arrival of new variants on their soil.
While no restrictions are currently imposed on travelers from China, Emmanuel Macron has asked his government to put in place “measures to protect the French”. The European Commission has convened a meeting this Thursday, December 29 to “discuss (…) possible measures for a coordinated approach”, explains Le Parisien. Here is what could be implemented very soon in France, according to what some of our neighbors have already announced.
