France topped 90,000 dead with hospitals on the brink of collapse

The country, second most affected by the pandemic in Europe, has reported 228 new deaths from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, a figure that has risen to 90,146 since the start of the pandemic, while the 25,229 new cases bring the total number to 4050 .680.

The rebound in mortality and infection figures is mainly due, according to health authorities, to the English variant of the coronavirus, much more contagious, which has spread in France in recent weeks, as in many other European countries, until ‘to be responsible for about half of the new positive cases.

The government yesterday warned of the serious situation in Île-de-France, which includes Paris and its populated periphery, and announced that He planned to make this weekend “hundreds” of patient transfers to other parts of the country.

In addition, the Paris police headquarters announced today that will deploy 4,000 agents in Île-de-France this weekend in order to “ensure proper compliance with health regulations”.

The Prefecture recalled in a press release that the use of the chinstrap is compulsory, that meetings are limited to 6 people, that the curfew is from 18 to 6, and that alcohol consumption is prohibited in several streets of the capital. Failure to follow the instructions may result in a fine of 135 euros.

The aim is to avoid at all costs a third total foreclosure, which would be devastating for the economy, and to allow time for the vaccination campaign to bear fruit.

In this context, the authorities are trying to speed up the vaccination rate, which is currently reserved for residents of nursing homes, people over 75 and over 50 with underlying conditions.

From the end of February, general practitioners will be able to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine – intended for people aged 50 to 64 years with pathologies – in their offices and from next week the French will also be able to go directly to the pharmacy to be vaccinated.

In all, More than 4 million people in France, with a population of 67 million, have received at least one dose of one of the three vaccines authorized in the country, and 2 million have received both doses.