Key points

In week 16, SARS-CoV-2 circulation continued to decline in France, with a drop in all virological indicators.

• Metropolitan France:

  • Decline in indicators across all age groups, particularly among those under 20

  • Positivity and incidence rates remain high in all regions

  • Downward trend in new hospital admissions, but still at a high level

• Overseas France:

  • Incidence and hospitalization rates remain very high on Réunion Island

Variants

• The Omicron BA.2 sublineage accounted for 99% of interpretable sequences in the Flash Survey for week 15 (April 11)

Prevention

• CoviPrev Survey wave 33 (April 8–15, 2022)

  • Decline in the regular use of precautionary measures, particularly mask-wearing (42% vs. 71% in February)

  • 68% of respondents who had already received the first booster shot were in favor of the second shot (77% among people aged 60 and over)

• Vaccination on April 25, 2022 (COVID-19 Vaccine Data):

  • 83.7% of people aged 65 and older had received a complete primary vaccination series and a booster shot

  • 3.3% of people aged 60–79 had received their second booster shot (32.0% of those eligible)

  • 13.2% of people aged 80 and older had received their second booster shot (19.9% of those eligible)

• Protection against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses during periods of high circulation:

  • Importance of self-isolating if you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19

  • The need to continue taking individual precautions