As Covid-19 cases increase in France, spectators who recently attended superstar Taylor Swift’s concerts are posting photos or videos showing their positive virus test results. But the increase in cases seems rather to be explained by the appearance of a new variant.
For eight weeks, appeals for suspected Covid have continued to increase, according to Public Health France. The increase in the number of cases is increasingly marked: the week of June 11, emergency room consultations increased by 52% and by 51% at SOS Médecins.
Swifties on alert
All age groups are affected, specifies Public Health France. The epidemic spread particularly among Swifties, these unconditional fans of the American star Taylor Swift. The singer has indeed given several concerts in France in recent weeks, notably from May 9 to 12 in Paris, and June 2 and 3 in Lyon.
Since then, some Internet users who attended the show have posted the positive results of their Covid tests on the networks and called on the community to get tested. Taylor Swift’s four Parisian concerts brought together 180,000 spectators in Paris, and 100,000 at the Groupama stadium in Lyon in two days.
The arrival of a new variant
This increase, however, remains “lower than what we have experienced in the past”, tempers Doctor Vincent Valinducq in Bonjour! La Matinale TF1. The doctor explains this resurgence not by Taylor Swift concerts, but by the “decrease in our immune protection”. He also mentions the appearance of a new variant, less sensitive to vaccines: KP.2.
Also called “Flirt”, this new variant “is detected in France at increasing levels”, according to a report from Public Health France on June 10. Furthermore, KP.2 “presents increased resistance to neutralizing antibodies induced by vaccines”, but its infectivity “would be lower” than other variants, specifies the agency.
