The French Health Minister has warned the country is now facing a devastating “fifth wave” as cases are rising steadily.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said last week that Europe is now the “epicenter” for Covid.
On 13 November there was more than 14,600 cases recorded which is the highest daily figure France has seen since early September, the Reuters Covid tracker shows.
French Health Minister Olivier Véran told 20 Minutes, “The fifth wave is now hitting France.”
He warned the situation will get far worse as early modelling suggests France will see more than “1,000 hospitilisations per day in January.”
The Health Minister is urging some 6m people to come forward to get their vaccine to “protect themselves.”
Véran said pending approval from European and French medicines regulators, France could start to vaccinate children.
Véran said, “The US and Israel have started vaccinating five to 11-year-olds, which will give us information on how it works in real life.
“The studies used by the US Drug Administration show that the vaccine in children is effective and safe.
“In the coming weeks, we expect the European Medicines Agency’s transparent, objective and exhaustive instruction.
“It will then be up to the French scientific authorities, probably by early 2022.”
He emphasised the benefits of being vaccinated as it will protect the public against “excess mortality,” but warned the epidemic will last all the way into early 2022, which will pose “significant health impact” on the country.