It was in the emergency room of Cochin hospital, in Paris, that Jean Castex passed the New Year’s Eve, in a department filled with Covid patients and threatened by the absence of contaminated caregivers.
Arrived around 11 p.m. at the intensive care unit, the Prime Minister was greeted by the director of the AP-HP Martin Hirsch. Eight of the twelve beds dedicated to Covid patients were occupied.
Their typical profile? “60 years old, hypertensive and overweight” described Professor Alain Cariou. “Tonight we only have Delta, no Omicron”, detailed the doctor, while Martin Hirsch evoked an average rate of Omicron in intensive care of 14%.
Their hope, yet to be confirmed, is that the Omicron outbreak “is not going to yield as many entries as that”.
Are they vaccinated or not? “We have vaccinated two doses and even triples vaccinated, but they also have diseases, such as transplant patients,” noted Professor Cariou.
Overall, they would be 24% in intensive care to have two or three doses, estimates Martin Hirsch, with a black point: preventive and curative treatments for the immunocompromised would work less for patients of the Omicron variant.
The Prime Minister was particularly concerned regarding the case of kidney transplant recipients. “Even three doses do not work. We had found a solution with a treatment that works on Delta but not on Omicron,” he worried.
– Spectacular absenteeism-
Hospital officials told the prime minister that their great fear was “spectacular absenteeism” caused by Omicron. At Necker, 32% of staff are absent. “We went from 300 to 1,500 positive personnel in two weeks on the AP-HP”, warned Martin Hirsch.
Caregivers have also asked Jean Castex for specific training for intensive care nurses, a subject on which the Prime Minister has promised an action plan for the start of the school year.
“My only wish in 2022 is to stop coming to see you regularly,” concluded the Prime Minister, going to the emergency department as it struck midnight. “It is very symbolic that I am passing the New Year in a health establishment,” he noted.
Previously, he had gone to the top of the Champs-Elysées, where alcohol consumption is prohibited and where the police were increasing the number of verbalizations for not wearing a mask – already 200 in the evening on the Champs, he said. specified the prefect of police Didier Lallement. Some 3,800 police and 2,400 firefighters are on the bridge in Paris for the night, and 9,000 including the military. The Prime Minister was even entitled to the demonstration of a giant megaphone.
Accompanied by the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidlago and the Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly, he also greeted Sentinel soldiers on the Trocadéro espladade, in front of the Eiffel Tower illuminated in the colors of the European flag.
Jean Castex ended his tour of the news with a visit to the firefighters of the Rousseau barracks, where the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin was waiting for him.
As I reflect on the recent visit of French Prime Minister Jean Castex to the Cochin hospital in Paris, where he spent New Year’s Eve amidst a department flooded with Covid patients, I am struck by the stark reality of the ongoing pandemic. The Prime Minister’s visit serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by healthcare workers and the dire situation in hospitals due to Covid-related illnesses.
According to reports, the Prime Minister spent time in the intensive care unit, where he was greeted by the director of the AP-HP, Martin Hirsch [[1]]. The unit was occupied by eight out of twelve beds dedicated to Covid patients, many of whom were elderly and had underlying health conditions, such as hypertension and obesity [[1]].
What struck me as particularly concerning was the demographic profile of the patients in the ICU. As described by Professor Alain Cariou, the typical patient was “60 years old, hypertensive, and overweight” [[1]]. This highlights the importance of ongoing efforts to improve public health and prevent the spread of the virus among vulnerable populations.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister’s visit also shed light on the worrying trend of vaccinated individuals still contracting Covid, particularly the Omicron variant. Martin Hirsch noted that 24% of patients in intensive care had received two or three doses of the vaccine, but still succumbed to the virus [[1]]. This is a sobering reminder of the ongoing challenges in combating this highly contagious and rapidly evolving virus.
Interestingly, the hospital visit also underscored the growing concern about the efficacy of treatments for immunocompromised patients with the Omicron variant. As noted by Professor Cariou, many of these patients had underlying health conditions, such as transplant patients, that made them more vulnerable to severe illness [[1]]. This highlights the need for continued research and innovation in developing more effective treatments for these high-risk populations.
Prime Minister Castex is no stranger to dealing with Covid-19, having placed himself under isolation after his wife tested positive in June 2021 [[2]], and later himself testing positive in November 2021 after his daughter contracted the virus [[3]]. His firsthand experience and proactive response to the pandemic have undoubtedly shaped his commitment to prioritizing public health.
As we move forward in the ongoing battle against Covid-19, it is clear that sustained efforts are required to combat the spread of the virus, particularly among vulnerable populations. The French government’s willingness to prioritize public health, supported by Prime Minister Castex’s leadership, will be crucial in navigating the complex challenges posed by the pandemic.
In my analysis, the Prime Minister’s visit to the Cochin hospital serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing pandemic and its far-reaching consequences for healthcare systems and individuals alike. The stories of the patients and healthcare workers that Prime Minister Castex encountered are a testament to the dedication and resilience of those on the frontlines of this pandemic.
