Covid-19: the highlights of the week of December 29

Figures from the Directorate General of Health as of December 29, 2020

2,562,646 confirmed cases of Covid-19 (+ 2,960 cases since the day before).

63,109 cumulative deaths since the start of the epidemic (+363 since the last 24 hours).

2,703 patients with Covid-19 currently in intensive care (+44 since the day before).

140,766 cases confirmed in EHPAD and EMS.

Info of the week

The first dose of vaccine is administered in France

It’s official, the vaccination against Covid-19 has started in France. It is Mauricette, a 78-year-old former housewife who received the first dose on Sunday, December 27, 2020 at the Hospitals of Paris. “I am touched“, she said to the applause of the hospital staff present.

The second beneficiary is Dr Jean-Jaques Monsuez, a 65-year-old cardiologist who affirms that “iWe must put an end to this epidemic, it is killing too many people and disrupting the economy“right after his injection.

Dr Jean-Jacques Monsuez is the second French beneficiary of the anti-Covid-19 vaccine. Credit: Thomas SAMSON / AFP / POOL

The goal is to vaccinate one million of the most vulnerable people by the end of February. Among these, the oldest people and the nursing staff. In the longer term, the government hopes to vaccinate 15 million people by the summer.

Sciences

Multiplex tests to distinguish SARS-CoV-2 from its “cousin” viruses, such as influenza

It is sometimes difficult to distinguish respiratory viruses, due to the fact that the clinical symptoms are often not very different from one to another. To aid in the diagnosis, so-called multiplex tests allowing the detection of several pathogens from a single sample. The most important thing is to distinguish Covid-19 from influenza, informs Science and the Future Jacques Izopet, head of department of the virology laboratory at Toulouse University Hospital. These tests should only be used in hospitals and for severe forms.

Covid-19: is the vaccine effective against the British variant?

On September 20, 2020, a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19, was detected in Great Britain. This variant carries 14 mutations, including 7 relating to the virus’s Spike protein, which plays a key role in infection. Professor Saad Shakir, director of the Drug safety research unit (DSRU), says that “The changes in the spike protein of the new variant would probably not reduce the protective effect of the Covid-19 vaccines.” Research is still necessary.

Covid-19: is the English variant more infectious in children?

While the British variant appears to be more contagious, it also appears to affect children and young people more. Indeed, a correlation between the areas affected by this variant and the epidemic acceleration in December is found. Since 1^is December 2020, the increase in the positivity rate doubled among those under 10 and it seems that those under 24 are particularly affected. Science and the Future explores and illustrates figures from the National Bureau of Statistics.

In France

Covid-19: family reunions responsible for an increase in contamination, according to infectious disease specialist Karine Lacombe

“On the epidemiological level, the epidemic is not at all under control, despite the efforts that have been made over the past two months“, estimates Professor Lacombe, head of the infectious diseases department at Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris. An increase in Covid-19 contaminations is currently observed, and this would be due mainly to family reunions. Indeed, an investigation by the MG France general practitioners’ union shows that contamination occurs more through the family than at work.

Thus, the end of the year celebrations represent a threat to the spread of the virus and it will be necessary to take stock of the situation around January 10. An opportunity to remind people of the importance of avoiding family reunions with vulnerable people.

IN CURVES. Covid-19: the resuscitation situation by region as of December 24

Science and the Future takes stock of the situation in intensive care, as it does every week. Only three regions remain above the health emergency threshold: Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and PACA, against five regions two weeks ago. In some regions, the occupancy rate of intensive care beds is declining, but the figures in some regions are still stagnating.

Covid-19: before the holidays, the number of tests on the rise

Antigen tests, which spot virus proteins in 15-30 minutes, were used at an above-average rate during the week leading up to Christmas. In one week, 2.35 million tests were carried out in France, representing an increase of more than 50%.

Abroad

Dr Fauci sees US “protected” by summer 2021 if vaccination goes smoothly

American immunologist Anthony Fauci announced good news to the people of the United States on December 23, 2020: “by the middle or the end of the summer, I think that we will have, if we do it correctly, (…) 70 to 85% of the population who will be vaccinated “. Vaccines are expected to start being administered by March to early April for vulnerable people, caregivers and essential workers. The goal is to start vaccinations for all those who want it in April and achieve immunity for the population by summer 2021.

Covid-19: the South African variant no more dangerous than the British

South African Minister of Health Zwelini Mkhize announces in his Christmas press release that“Today there is no evidence that 501.V2 is more transmissible than the UK variant, as suggested by the UK Minister of Health.” 501.V2 is the variant of SARS-CoV-2 that appeared in South Africa. This statement was made following a press conference by UK Health Minister Matt Hancock who claimed that the South African variant was “highly worrying, because it is more contagious and seems to have mutated more than that identified in the United Kingdom “. He also announced travel restrictions between the two countries, to the regret of the South African minister.

Online wildlife trade continues despite the Covid-19 outbreak

A study has shown that the illegal wildlife trade did not decrease during the epidemic in Brazil and Indonesia. Despite an origin of the virus probably coming from another species, no drop in traffic was observed. The researchers were surprised to see that the epidemic was even a selling point for getting “a friend in lockdown.”

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