Asked about BFMTV, this member of the Scientific Council estimated that the peak of contagions of omicron should be reached “mid-January” to decrease “considerably in February”. He calls on the population to “reduce their contacts” to limit hospitalizations.
At the end of the tunnel, the light? Asked this Monday morning on BFMTV and RMC, the epidemiologist and member of the Scientific Council Arnaud Fontanet estimated that the number of Covid-19 infections “Would drop considerably” in February in France. Figures that should be, according to him, still “Much weaker” in March. The doctor, also a member of the Institut Pasteur, recalled that the hospital was currently crossing “A really difficult period” : 21,982 people are hospitalized in France according to figures from Public Health France, including 3,987 in critical care, that is to say in intensive care, intensive care or continuous monitoring. On average, during the past week, 2,080 people have been hospitalized each day, including 339 in critical care.
“Fundamental error”
During the same interview, Arnaud Fontanet stressed that the peak of contagions linked to omicron should take place “Mid-January at the national level” but with “Variations”at the regional level, “A little earlier in Ile-de-France, a little later in the South” . This peak of contamination will be monitored “A peak in hospital admissions”which according to him should be “Between 2,000 and 5,000 per day” . “A huge fork” who according to him should encourage people to “Change their behavior” so as not to exceed 2,000.
The epidemiologist considers that the idea of “Let slip” the virus on the grounds that we “Will not be able to stop it”constitutes “A fundamental error”. “Small changes in our attitudes can completely change the dynamics of this epidemic”he insists. According to him, “If we all reduce our contacts by 20%, we will halve the number of hospitalizations to come in two weeks.”