INTERVIEW
More than 90 countries affected, nearly 110,000 people infected worldwide: the proliferation of Covid-19 is more than significant. Sunday, in an attempt to stem the epidemic, Olivier Véran, Minister of Health, announced the ban on all events gathering more than a thousand people. While some claim that the virus could die with rising seasonal temperatures, Eric d’Ortenzio denies this information. “We don’t know anything about the impact of seasonality,” he said at the microphone of Europe 1. “We can see that there are countries in tropical zones that are starting to be affected, so the coronavirus is resistant to these temperatures “, continues the doctor. He announced on our microphone that, according to him, “we should expect three months of an epidemic in France”.
An Italian scenario?
Asked about the possibility of an Italian scenario, Eric d’Ortenzio reassures: “In France, there was preparation and the effect of surprise did not take place”. On the other side of the Alps, the government of Guiseppe Conte has decided to contain several regions, to close all schools and universities, as well as not to open cinemas, theaters and performance halls. “In Italy, there was a surprise effect with fairly large epidemic outbreaks in several cities and towns and it left fairly quickly. The hospitals found themselves saturated,” said Eric d’Ortenzio.
For the doctor, “the crisis is well managed” in mainland France, despite the 1,126 cases identified. “We were expecting an increase in the number of cases from day to day. You have to live with it and tell yourself that we are going to spend a few weeks or months with this epidemic in France,” he explains. “When we are going to announce stage three (…) the question of the closure of schools in epidermal homes, telework, transport, must be carefully considered and be weighed against the societal and economic impact”, warns Eric d’Ortenzio.
“Everyone is vigilant at the level of institutions”
But the most important, according to the doctor, is that everyone is committed to fighting the spread of the epidemic. “Everyone really has to be an actor and act at the level of prevention. By simple gestures, but we must not give in to panic: there is none, everyone is vigilant at the level of institutions”, reassures Eric d’Ortenzio. “So really, it is very important that the population engages in prevention,” he insists.
“Transmission is a little more sustained than the flu, and on mortality rates are a little more 1 or 2% higher,” explains Eric d’Ortenzio. “So it’s a little more serious and is transmitted better. (…) The goal with all the measures taken is to reduce transmission between people who are not infected and those who are infected,” he concludes.
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