While Thursday, January 13, 305,322 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in France, and 24,154 patients are hospitalized, Why Doctor takes stock of the latest information published on the virus.
Two new treatments recommended by the WHO
In a notice published this Friday, January 14 in the British Medical Journal, the World Health Organization (WHO) has just recommended two new treatments, bringing the number of drugs recommended against Covid-19 to five. However, these two new drugs can only be administered in very specific cases.
Thus, sotrovimab, which is a synthetic antibody treatment, is recommended for patients who have contracted a non-serious form of Covid-19 but are at high risk of hospitalization. Its benefit for patients who are not at risk was however deemed too low. As for baricitinib, prescribed against rheumatoid arthritis, it must be reserved for “patients with severe or critical Covid” and must be administered “in combination with corticosteroids”.
Sore throats, main symptoms of Omicron
Appeared in November 2021 in South Africa, Omicron differs from other variants of Covid-19 by its high degree of contagiousness, a higher risk of reinfection, but also by its symptoms. In a statement issued on January 6, Public Health France compiled a list of the main associated symptoms after analyzing swab samples from 317 patients who had taken Omicron. Among them are fatigue, cough, fever, headache, muscle pain or runny nose.
But the main symptom associated with Omicron would be sore throat. In any case, this is what concludes a norwegian study. According to its authors, 72% of patients suffer from it. And this has an explanation: the variant would first attack the throat before settling on the nasal passages.
A platform for patients suffering from long Covid
Good news for patients suffering from a long form of Covid-19. Thursday, January 13, the Senate adopted a UDI bill for the creation of a patient monitoring platform. This bill had already been approved by the National Assembly last November.
The objective of the platform is, according to the rapporteur of the text in the Senate Nadia Sollogoub, to allow “improved care, global recognition, consistent with the organization of the healthcare system and constituting a real contribution for patients”. Up to 25% of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 would develop a long Covid, even if this risk is lower in vaccinated people.
Cannabis, a tool of protection?
Can cannabis protect against Covid-19 infection? This is the astonishing conclusion reached by two researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) and Oregon Health and Science University. In a study published in the Journal of Nature Products and spotted by Slatethey report that two compounds found in hemp (cannabigerolic acid, known as CBG-A, and cannabidiolic acid, known as CBD-A) could be used as preventative treatments for severe forms of Covid-19 since they would prevent the spike protein of the virus from attaching to healthy cells.
5 million FFP2 masks distributed in schools
Following the teachers’ strike on Thursday January 13, exceptional in its scope, the government was quick to react. After receiving the unions alongside Prime Minister Jean Castex, the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer announced the recruitment of “3,300 contract workers”as well as the distribution of “5 million FFP2 masks in the school system”. These masks will be distributed in priority to kindergarten teachers, who face students not wearing a mask.
“We have heard the expectation in terms of FFP2 masks. We recalled that the High Council for Public Security (HSCP) did not specifically recommend their development, but we wished with the Prime Minister that it would be possible all the same, in particular for some staff”said Jean-Michel Blanquer.
The obligation to wear a mask outdoors in Paris challenged by justice
Parisians no longer have to wear masks outdoors. Thursday, January 13, the administrative court of the capital suspended the prefectural decree issued on December 31 which made it compulsory to wear a mask outdoors. The day before, it was the Administrative Court of Versailles which had suspended a similar decree taken in the department of Yvelines, considering that this measure carried “an excessive, disproportionate and inappropriate interference […] to individual liberty”.
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