Covid: UK variant accounts for ‘up to 20% of Paris infections’
Schools could be shut in an attempt to stem the spread
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The highly contagious variant of the coronavirus first detected in the UK now accounts for up to 20 percent of infections in the wider Paris region, a leading hospital executive said on Tuesday.
"We have initial results in the Paris region and they are not good", Remi Salomon, head of the medical committee of Paris hospitals group AP-HP told a local radio station.
"We were at 6 per cent to 7 per cent on 7 January, we reached 15 per cent to 20 per cent last week."
Mr Salomon warned that the measures currently in place in Paris “will not be enough” and suggested a new lockdown should be introduced.
Speaking to Franceinfo radio station, the doctor said that schools should be shut in the capital which would allow more people to work from home. He added that: “it wouldn’t be a bad idea to increase the length of the school holidays.”
Mr Salomon went on to express his concerns that there could be an “acceleration” in case numbers, warning that those working in hospitals were already “at the end of their tether.”
The doctor stressed that introducing a third lockdown would be a very difficult decision to make. He added that the French would likely be “demoralised” at the idea of another round of restrictions.
The news comes just days after France’s Minister for Health Olivier Véran told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that the country “may be able to avoid another wave of the virus."
The French government is coming under increasing pressure from both doctors and scientists to introduce further restrictions or a lockdown in the country.
Mr Salomon appealed to the French, saying that they should keep getting tested, especially since they may have the virus yet not show any symptoms.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments