Incidence rate is lowest, should measures be reduced in Brittany?

While the infection rate of the virus is below the alert threshold in Brittany, the question arises of limiting the epidemic containment measures. Breton epidemiologist Pascal Crepi calls for caution.

Everywhere in Brittany, The incidence is less than the alert threshold in this covid pandemic. Should procedures be eased? The question arises when the infection rate in Finistere is 12 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while on Monday, it isIlle-et-Vilaine will complete Brittany In the list of sections where primary school children can drop the mask in class.

Pascal Crepi is an epidemiologist and researcher at the School for Advanced Studies in Public Health in Rennes.

Is this the end of the covid epidemic?

“The infection rate is very low. Thanks to everyone’s efforts. But 12 cases are not zero and the virus continues to spread. There is still concern about the winter period that could increase transmission. We are.”

Should we give up the mask?

“The problem is to maintain the confidence of the population and ease efforts when the epidemic recedes, but we must bear in mind that all these measures have an impact and an impact and that if we remove the mask we can increase the rate last year and the start of winter led to the arrival of the second wave of the epidemic.”

Even with a vaccine, can we see a fifth wave?

“Thanks to vaccination, we do not expect an increase in hospital loads, but this virus causes not only hospitalizations, but also prolonged covid, which is not benign or trivial. Again, the evolution of all these measures depends on political trade-offs.”

And is this vaccine ultimately effective against the spread?

“The situation has changed with the delta variant, which is the newest to date. Against this variant, the mRNA vaccines are slightly less effective against infection and therefore transmission. They are 50% effective, which is nothing but not the same as against the severe forms that are rather From 90%. It limits circulation but does not prevent it. This variant is transmitted more easily with R0 between 6 and 8 when it was between 2.5 and 3 for the original From here comes the importance of vaccination to reduce the waves of hospitalization. But vaccination alone will not be sufficient to suppress the disease ” epidemic.”