And what if France is eventually already taking over the fourth wave? A few weeks ago, the government announced stronger measures to curb the epidemic outbreak, including the extension of the health pass, and compulsory vaccine for some professions. The goal of this decision? Inciting the French to get vaccinated to slow the spread of the Delta variant.
Now, the first signs of an early improvement have been noticed, depending on the evolution of different indicators. After peaking at 2.12 as of July 18, 2021, the virus reproduction rate dropped to 1.27 as of July 31, 2021. The test positivity rate also seems to start a slight decrease, moving from 4.34% as of July 28, 2021 to 4.15 as of July 31, 2021. As for the incidence rate, it has stabilized. Several departments including Paris, Pyrénées Orientales, Landes, and Gironde are experiencing a decrease in their incidence rates.
Despite these encouraging data, as for hospitals, the hospitalization toll increases and for good reason: the epidemic evolution is seen about two weeks later. If the situation genuinely improves in France, medical establishments will feel an improvement only in two weeks.
