Key Points

• In Hauts-de-France, the slowdown in regional epidemic activity continued in week 38, with positivity and testing rates stabilizing. Viral circulation remains high among younger age groups (under 40), particularly among 6- to 10-year-olds, where the testing rate is highest;

• At the sub-departmental level, the slowdown in epidemic activity is also continuing in most areas. Nevertheless, caution is warranted given the still-high incidence rates in certain parts of the region—primarily in the Nord and Oise departments—and the trends in hospital indicators in these same areas, even as the start of the academic and professional school year is still recent;

• Vaccination uptake and adherence to preventive measures remain essential to reinforce the positive trends in the region.