While children and teachers have been greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic since the start of the school year, virologists, a member of the Scientific Council, point out that the Omicron version is easier to transmit, including to children who were “less vulnerable” . So far.

While the start of the school year is marked by the closure of a record number of classrooms, the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading from establishments to homes, thanks to the highly contagious Omron variant.

“Like elsewhere in school, this virus behaves differently because it is more contagious”, explains Bruno Lina, virologist and member of the Scientific Council, this Friday guest of BFMTV.

Virologist, member of the Scientific Council, “you need less virus to develop disease. Under these conditions, people who were probably less susceptible to the virus, such as today’s children, were able to be affected very effectively.” become.”

Children are “affected very effectively”

According to Thursday’s data from the National Ministry of Education, 47,453 cases of student infection have been declared in the four days since Monday. The record among teachers was reached with the announcement of 5,631 positive cases.

“Children, like many people under the age of 40, participate in a very important way in the spread of the virus (…) “added Bruno Lena.

“It’s about 80% more permeable”, he elaborated on the Omicron version, recalling that it manages to bypass the immune responses of people who have an incomplete vaccination schedule, and the more it spreads. That is, the more its infectious rate is increasing. Bruno Lena stressed, “Despite this increased transmittance, all hygiene measures are effective”.

On Thursday, the incidence rate exceeded 2000 for the first time in France. Overall, one in 50 people have tested positive in the last seven days.