By Antoine Sillieres
Published on
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The “third wave” of the Covid-19 pandemic is that of variants declared Jean Castex on March 18, 2021. In the Rhône department, the English variant has in fact become a large majority, with now nearly 85% positive cases linked to this mutant strain, according to data provided by Public Health France this Sunday 28 March 2021.
More contagious, this variant raises fears of a rejuvenation of the average age of patients. While the incidence rate is now 476 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the Rhône, the virus thus circulates very unevenly according to age categories.
For example, it climbs to 694 among 10-19 year olds, against 280 among 80-89 year olds. “The increase in incidence affects those under 75”, specifies Public health France in its weekly regional newsletter.
Slight rejuvenation
In Île-de-France the median age of Covid-19 patients has fallen from 65 years in previous waves to 63 years in 2021, according to AP-HP. In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, it is 67.9 years. With a declining average. “The patients admitted for severe cases in intensive care were aged 66 years on average (-1 year), during the last weekly update of Public Health France. 61% of patients were over 65 years of age at admission (-4 points). “
According to Covid Tracker, the over 80s represent 7.7% of intensive care patients in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, against 12.3% on October 30, 2020, during the second wave. The 60-79 age group provides the most intensive care patients (71.7%). And this more markedly than five months ago (68.7%). 40-59 year olds are also proportionately more present in sheaves, providing 17% of the workforce today against 14.3% at the end of October.
No change, however, in those under 39 who still represent a negligible proportion of patients in intensive care with 1.4% for 20-39 years and less than 0.5% under 29 years. This is even less than five months ago. This slight rejuvenation of the epidemic is therefore limited to the elderly. In critical care, moreover, there is hardly any person under the age of 39.
Vaccination of the elderly, screening of the young
Age is therefore not a factor of invulnerability in the face of Covid-19. But this trend towards rejuvenation is also explained by social factors, linked to management of the health crisis. In particular the orientation of the vaccination campaign to the attention of the elderly.
Indeed, if only 10.54% of the Rhone population received a first injection, vaccination coverage rises to more than one in two people over 75 years of age (52.6%). Against only 2.7% among 18-49 year olds. A population which, in the absence of strict confinement, continues to contaminate itself, especially at work.
At the same time, the numbers are skyrocketing in schools. “The screening rate is increasing sharply among the youngest, particularly among those under 15, thanks to screening campaigns in schools,” explains Public Health France.
The profile of intensive care patients
While admissions to intensive care are on the rise again in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, they always concern men more2.4 times more numerous than women in last week’s data.
“88% of admitted patients present with comorbidity (-1 point), with obesity, arterial hypertension and diabetes constituting the pathologies most frequently observed in people with a severe case of COVID-19”, adds Public Health France. This also means that 12% do not present any.
Finally, those over 75 represent 82% of deaths against 13% for those aged 65-74 and 5% for those aged 45-64.
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