2023-08-20 20:46:30
10:42 p.m. by Dolores CHARLES
Covid-19 is making a comeback this summer, with the new ERIS variant. A vaccine capable of targeting it should be available as early as September. And in October, a vaccination campaign will be offered in France to people at risk, but it will remain open to all those who wish. Update with a specialist from the Rennes University Hospital, Vincent Thibault, head of the virology laboratory.
You may have noticed it around you: the cases of Covid are multiplying, again, in the West as in all of France. Why this rebound in the middle of summer? Should we see a greater efficiency of the EG variant.5 “Eris” in contamination?
The response of Professor Vincent Thibault, head of the virology laboratory at Rennes University Hospital, interviewed by Yann Launay: “I’m surprised to see that this is transmitted so well during the summer, especially when it’s hot, even if in Brittany we weren’t necessarily spoiled by the weather, but the Bayonne Festival was the opportunity to see a real rise in contamination by the virus… It is clear that a virus which must be transmitted will be transmitted whatever the climatic conditions. There what played in the transmission, it is probably the festive gathering, the summer and indeed, the new variant EG5.1 or ERIS
which has recently emerged throughout the world, and not only in France, escapes immune responses. It is the very life of viruses, it is to adapt to the population encountered.
The ERIS variant was added on July 15 to the list of variants to be monitored by the World Health Organization – WHO).
Vincent Thibault, virologist at Rennes University HospitalVincent Thibault, virologist at Rennes University Hospital
Credit: Yann LaunayShould we be worried about this rebound and the progression of the Eris variant? Not necessarily, for Professor Thibault, who points out that serious forms remain rare: “ As long as we have the situation under control since there is no increase in cases of hospitalizations, emergency room congestion, we will remain calm.You have to be vigilant but today, in the world, I haven’t seen things that allowed you to say be careful, there is a particular risk with this variant, or
it increases particularly rapidly.
Today, it does not increase faster than the variants we have seen before…
You don’t have to be worried, but you have to be vigilant, especially if you meet elderly or fragile people, which is the case during the summer because during the summer, we get together as a family and it’s true that we go to see the mothers, the grandmothers, even the great-grandmothers, and if we have symptoms, we really have to protect ourselves.
Vincent Thibault, virologist at Rennes University HospitalVincent Thibault, virologist at Rennes University Hospital
Credit: Yann Launay
A new vaccination campaign in the fallA new vaccination campaign is in preparation, for October, and the laboratories are preparing a vaccine adapted to the Eris variant. So should we consider getting vaccinated again in a few weeks? For Professor Thibault: “ for the most fragile people who are most at risk of losing their immunity against viruses, it is very important to get revaccination, but in the general population, I don’t think so.
Again, I’m not in the small government papers but I don’t think there will be any vaccination recommendations.
I’m not going to say it’s not useful because if it’s a variant that’s different enough from the strain you got vaccinated with, it’s always useful to boost immunity. I think there is no risk and above all, it can only do good.”
Vincent Thibault, virologist at Rennes University HospitalVincent Thibault, virologist at Rennes University Hospital
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