Key points
In week 2, circulation of SARS-CoV-2 remained very intense; although the increase in new cases was less substantial, hospital services remain under heavy strain.
- Metropolitan France:
- Incidence rates highest among 10-19 year-olds (>5,500/100,000 inhabitants) and 30-39 year olds (>4,200)
- Screening rate declining and positivity rate still very high
- Strong disparities in hospitalisation rates at regional level
- Overseas France:
- High incidence rates in Guadeloupe (>4,500) and Reunion Island (>3,800)
- High rate of new hospital admissions in French Guiana
Contact tracing
- 97% of cases are contacted by the Health Insurance on the day of their identification or the following day (by SMS in 91% of cases)
- Among the cases called, there was a decrease in the number of contacts identified per case
Variants
- 96% of screened tests showed a profile compatible with the Omicron variant in week 2
- Omicron accounted for 80% of interpretable sequences in the week 1 Flash Survey on 3 January 2022 (preliminary data)
Prevention
- Vaccination on 18 January 2022 (Vaccin Covid data):
- 78.0% of the French population had received a complete primary vaccination series
- 61.2% of the 18+ age group (representing 72.2% of those eligible) and 78.8% of the 65+ age group (87.6% of those eligible) had received a booster shot
- Importance of combining measures:
- Complete vaccination series with a booster at 3 months
- Compliance with preventive measures including wearing a mask and reducing contacts, along with other precautionary recommendations such as frequent ventilation of enclosed spaces, working from home and adherence to contact tracing