Key points

In week 5, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 continued to decline in France, with fewer new hospital admissions, but indicators remained at high levels.

• Metropolitan France:

  • Incidence rates falling in all regions

  • Positivity rates still rising in the 60+ age group

  • Hospital indicators beginning to decline in most regions

  • Excess all-cause mortality observed in France since November, linked to the magnitude of the fifth wave

  Overseas France:

  • Virological and hospital indicators are decreasing but remain high on Réunion Island

Contact tracing

• In the 75+ age group, nearly one in five cases had visited a long-term care facility (indicator rising for the second consecutive week)

Variants

• Omicron accounted for 98.8% of interpretable sequences in the Week 4 Flash Survey of January 24.

• The BA.2 sublineage remains a minority but is increasing (5.4% on 01/24/22 vs. 1.9% on 01/17/22)

Prevention

• Vaccination as of February 8, 2022 (COVID-19 vaccine data):

  • 78.9% of the French population had completed a primary vaccination series

  • 69.3% of the 18+ age group (representing 79.4% of those eligible) and 82.3% of the 65+ age group (90.3% of those eligible) had received a booster shot

• Importance of combining measures:

  • Complete the vaccination series with a booster shot after 3 months

  • Compliance with preventive measures, including wearing a mask and limiting social contacts, along with other precautionary recommendations such as frequent ventilation of enclosed spaces, working from home, and adherence to contact tracing