The body leading the government action in the wake of the Kovid-19 epidemic issued a new opinion on July 6.

Incidents increase, pollution increases … Delta variant, b.1.617.2, first detected in India and 60% more contagious will be “soon over majority” in France, “most likely this weekend”, this Friday at the Inter Olivier Warren. The government is studying a number of hypotheses to prevent a new wave of epidemics.

In An announcement on Tuesday As announced this Friday, the Scientific Council recommends a number of ways to monitor epidemiological and hospital indicators as well as to include this worrying variant. The caption reads, “Respond now to limit a new wave associated with the delta variant.” Here are its main recommendations.

If the Scientific Council decides that the vaccination campaign is “effectively advancing” and that the government’s target of 45 million people who were first vaccinated will be reached by the end of August, vaccination coverage rates are still “inadequate” for the face of the virus and its delta variant, especially at high risk.

“The maximum vaccination with two doses must be obtained before the end of August 2021, so the effectiveness of the vaccination will be evident at the beginning of the school year, and on return to work …”

In particular, “only 90% to 95% of people are vaccinated or infected to control an infectious disease, especially those over 60”, Write scientists. Higher limit than previous estimates, “taking into account the transmission of new variants”.

Currently, the highest vaccination age group is 75-79 years, of which 84.7% have a complete vaccination schedule. For other adults, this coverage is lower, and for those aged 60-64 it drops to 65.6 percent.

Vaccination strategies need to be systematically implemented to reach populations far removed from the health care system, ”the specialists recommend.

“Immigrants and people in a very dangerous situation should be the target of this vaccination priority,” the opinion argues.

Consider a third dose for the elderly

People over the age of 80 or “patients who are immunocompromised in the broadest sense” may need a third dose to achieve better immunity, especially against variants.

“A booster strategy with a third MRNA dose seems reasonable even if there is currently no data available,” the board says, referring to the elderly, “the benefit / risk balance of this approach is clearly in favor of one benefit, and the lack of serious adverse effects on this population in view of the same possibilities”.

“The extension and recall strategy for this vaccine vigilance should be given to all French people over the age of 80, and not just to those living in nursing homes” because “age is the main risk factor”, scientists remind.

To justify this suggestion, the Scientific Council based its recent English and Belgian examples on the “risk of symptomatic infection (…) associated with the delta variant in this population”, “even in immunized individuals in two doses”.

On Thursday evening, Fischer-Biotech announced that it would seek permission to provide a third dose of the vaccine to combat the virus, especially the Delta variants. This theory is also “under study” on the part of AstraZeneca.

Make vaccination compulsory for caregivers

The Scientific Council is concerned about the coverage rate of a vaccination, among medical and social-sector officials who are in contact with nursing homes or specialized institutions or in the city or with the elderly and / or persons with disabilities, saying that “only 40% of nursing home staff will practice public or private, large regional diversity.”

Therefore, the body decides in favor of the caregiver’s obligation to provide immunizations, “after several months of explanation, it is important to remember that choosing a health care professional is a professional responsibility. We / patients visit support”.

The College of Specialists also opens up to the responsibility of exposing “caregivers”, personal service staff or all (non-health) professionals to “other categories” of exposure and risk.

Test Keep tests free during the summer to “test-trace-insulate”

While resolving discussions about the reimbursement of PCR effective PCR tests, the Scientific Council recommends “continued access to screening tests (RT-PCR, antigen) this summer”.

Recommendation intended to continue the deployment of the “Test, Trace, Insulate” strategy as well as to “support” sick people or their contacts.

“Low-level events enable a more proactive approach and, in principle, more effective than ever before,” he commented, urging a similar approach, but “accelerating the implementation of accelerated vaccination and population screening in areas of identified clusters in the Delta variant.”

Do not leave bar barrier gestures

Don’t forget the barrier gestures that people have known for over a year and a half, the Scientific Council remembers, underlining their “vital importance” as hand washing.

“Unrestricted gesture relief in the summer of 2020 has led to the resumption of an epidemic from September 2020. In one case, of course, without the vaccine, without a variant. Unfortunately, we must observe a large relaxation of the barrier features for 2 weeks, which will accelerate the spread of the virus,” experts warn.

Accordingly Public Health Latest Epidemiological Point from France, “Planned adoption of measures related to social interaction” is certainly “significantly” reduced. At the end of June, 66% of respondents greeted without shaking hands and avoided hugs (compared to 72% in mid-May) – 37% said they avoid face-to-face contact with relatives (43% in mid-May).

Consider local restrictions if necessary

The government, which was initially cautious about the local approach to health controls, finally switched to this last winter. Landes was the only department to extend the final detention restrictions until July 6 due to the advance of the Delta variant.

One strategy validated by the Scientific Council recommends a “return to partial control measures” that are “particularly relevant to the” delta variant “for areas where events are significantly higher, including July, August and holiday areas.”

Health passes are currently declining for events that bring more than a thousand people together, according to the Scientific Council.

This gauge “should be able to be modified downwards according to the scale of the incident”, the comment suggests.

A Set up the “Vaccine Pass” using a wide field

Expanding the scope of the Health Pass is currently one of the ways the Executive is considering. To get more vaccination coverage, the Scientific Council goes further and assumes that individual vaccination passes can be set up to gain access to certain ‘freedom zones’, such as restaurants, cultural activities, and sports.

It will especially participate in “limiting the sanitary restrictions that must be considered to limit the fourth wave”. People who have not been vaccinated, if they have received such a pass, are required to perform an antigen test or a PCR test once or twice a week, “knowing that the natural access to these tests may end.”

“The Scientific Council recommends that this possibility be explored now, taking into account the views of civil society representatives of the political establishment,” the comment states.