Despite an easing of the eighth wave of coronavirus in France, the country’s new health risk assessment body has warned that the rapid spread of the BQ.1.1 Covid sub-variant spells uncertainty for the months ahead.
Covars, the name given to the newly established scientific council advising the government on its Covid strategy, is tasked with anticipating future crises as well as managing existing ones.
Its 19 members - experts in infectiology, virology and immunology among other medical fields - gave their first first opinion on Monday, warning of the need to reduce the impact of Covid and winter infections while protecting a fragile health system.
Curve spike
After the start of the school year in September, the virus curve driven by the BA.5 sub-variant spiked again, resulting in an eighth wave and an infection rate of 576 per 100,000 people.
Covars said the spike was "probably" linked to a combination of factors, including a drop in herd immunity, climatic conditions favourable to the spread of the virus, and the resumption of school.
It warned that the rapid growth of the BQ.1.1 variant in France could lead to a large number of infections, including in vaccinated or already infected people.
So far the strain, which was detected in mid-September, is responsible for 15 percent of cases.
The risk of complications or death is similar to that observed with the BA.1 and BA.2 sub-variants, which set off the fifth and sixth virus waves.
Since the beginning of the year, there has been a cascade of Omicron sub-variants, to the point where it has been described as an "alphabet soup”.
Covars also warned that other infectious diseases were making a comeback this winter, including influenza, bronchiolitis and gastroenteritis.
