“It’s probably the start of a wave.” Brigitte Autran, president of the Health Risk Monitoring and Forecasting Committee (Covars), explained this Wednesday morning on BFMTV that the Covid-19 epidemic was “in a very important phase of ascent” in France.
Behind this epidemic resumption lies BQ.1.1., a subvariant of Omicron that tends to become dominant in France, but not only. BFMTV.com takes stock of knowledge about this BA.5 sublineage.
On the way to being dominant in France
In its latest epidemiological bulletin dated November 24, Public Health France indicates that BA.5 remains “ubiquitous” with 93% detection during the latest Flash survey conducted between November 7 and 12. What is interesting here is in particular to observe the clear progression of the BQ.1.1. sublineage, going from 29% to 39% detection in the space of two weeks.
“It’s a more contagious variant,” Brigitte Autran said on our antenna, adding that this spread of BQ.1.1. is all the rage all over the world, “France is nothing special, it is also all the rage in China”.
The president of the successor to the Scientific Council also highlighted on BFMTV that this start of a new wave is “driven” by BQ.1.1.
According to Public Health France, on November 29, 98,814 new cases were reported in 24 hours, that is, 41.7% more contamination registered in a week. Another indicator on the rise: the reproduction rate of the virus. It was 1.3 last week, a sign that the epidemic is progressing. Finally, the national incidence rate was 449.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants on November 26 in the last seven days. This has more than doubled since the beginning of the month.
However, this evolution of the health situation must be analyzed with caution: in recent weeks there has been a strike movement in the analysis laboratories, which may give rise to a significant update of the data.
resistant to monoclonal antibodies
If it’s more contagious, how dangerous is it? The epidemiologist Antoine Flahault, interviewed by our AFP colleagues, maintains that BQ.1.1. it is “responsible for the recent increase in contamination but also for hospitalizations” in France.
“We still don’t know if it’s more ‘bad’,” Brigitte Autran estimated on our antenna, “it’s probably identical to BA5 in the characteristic of making serious shapes.”
If for the moment its ability to cause or not cause more serious forms is unknown, it seems that its resistance to certain treatments is becoming clearer. Two recent studies, reported by our colleagues from Release, allow us to learn more about its resistance to monoclonal antibodies produced specifically to treat Covid-19. Results that can be found both in the first study published in the journal the lancet and in the second led by the Institut Pasteur.
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines adapted to Omicron effective
Regarding the anti-Covid vaccines already distributed, the resistance of BQ.1.1. these have yet to be established. On the other hand, the Pfizer and Moderna laboratories have reported in recent weeks the efficacy of their respective vaccines adapted to Omicron against the subvariant.
Brigitte Autran also called on people eligible for a booster dose to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
“It is true that due to the permanent variation of this virus, vaccines protect less against infection and transmission,” acknowledged the president of Covars, although he added that the latter “guarantee protection against severe forms of Covid and against to the deaths.”
Source: BFM TV
