Covid: when will the 7th wave peak in France?

Could the 7^th wave of Covid-19 ruin the summer holiday? Will we have to wear a mask in some places? So far, these questions remain unanswered. For several days, doctors and epidemiologists are back in radio studios and TV sets. The health situation is deteriorating again in France because of the 7^th wave boosted by the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

This Thursday June 30, France reported 133,346 new cases, namely a 67% increase compared to last Thursday. As for hospitalizations, data increase too. Now, 15,836 Covid-19 sick are hospitalized in France. But when will the 7^th wave peak in the country?

This June 30, 2022, invited on RTL, Scientific Committee President Jean-François Delfraissy bets on the epidemic to peak “by late July”. “The peak is not here yet, contaminations will probably peak by the end of July”, he explained, whilst staying cautious and relying on what happened last summer with the Delta variant. Furthermore, Delfraissy said the BA.5 variant – currently active in France and other EU countries – “is not more severe than the other. But it is very transmissible”.

• To be read
• 7th wave of Covid: what to expect?
• Covid vaccination: 80.6 % of French people vaccinated for the first time, 60.5 % received the booster dose
• Coronavirus in France this Friday June 30th, 2023: +10 deaths from Covid and +985 new cases

So, should we be worried about this swift Covid-19 case increase, a few days prior to the summer? “It will not ruin summer as we are vaccinated”, Delfraissy stated on RTL. “I believe we will hold on, on the condition to resume vaccination in the elderly and wonder about a certain number of recommendations again to limit contaminations”, he added.

What about the situation in hospitals? A peak at the end of July would mean “the impact on the healthcare system is not at its maximum yet”, Delfraissy considered as he expects “1,500 admissions per day at the hospital by a week”. The question is if hospitals will hold on as they lack staff.

This Thursday, the World Health Organization addressed the 7^th wave. The WHO said they are expecting “high levels” of Covid-19 this summer in Europe. “As countries across the European region have lifted the social measures that were previously in place, the virus will transmit at high levels over the summer", WHO Europe regional director Hans Kluge told AFP.