Aujourd'hui: Covid Update for Aix & Marseille right now (and how to navigate bises without drama)

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Bonjour, team Étranger Things! At an event last night a friend leaned in for the bises… and then didn’t. “Covid is up in Marseille,” she said. Two weeks ago when I checked, PACA looked quiet, so I checked again this morning. Here’s the fresh scoop (and a graceful bise-strategy so nobody gets offended).

The very short version

  • Covid activity: still low overall, but nudging upward on some hospital indicators in France; wastewater levels have stabilized after several weeks of increase. (Codes06)

  • PACA specifics: Marseille is one of the wastewater sentinel sites; regional weekly bulletins continue—no excess mortality noted in the latest PACA report, but keep an eye on seasonal respiratory viruses. (Santé Publique France)

  • Vaccines: Covid + flu jabs start Oct 14 in mainland France; 100% covered by Assurance Maladie. You can get both at the pharmacy (two arms, one happy pharmacist). (Ameli)

What the data says (human-sized)

  • National trend (week of Oct 8): syndromic Covid levels are stable at low levels, with a rise in hospital virology; wastewater signal stabilized. Translation: not a wave, but a gentle ripple—worth some extra care indoors. (Codes06)

  • COVID-19 (Marseille / PACA)

    • City signal: Marseille is one of France’s SUM’EAU wastewater sentinel sites. The national readout for week 40 (ending Oct 5) shows the SARS-CoV-2 wastewater signal slowing and stabilizing after several weeks of rise. That pattern applies across sites in the network, which includes Marseille. odisse.santepubliquefrance.fr+1

    • Hospitals: At the national hospital network (RENAL) in week 40, SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 13.5% (1,099/8,162), up from 11.0% the week before—worth a little extra caution in crowded indoor spots. Santé Publique France

    • Regional view (PACA): The PACA regional bulletin confirms the winter 2025-26 respiratory surveillance kicked off Sept 29; detailed IRA (respiratory infections) indicators are now rolling in the weekly releases. No specific city-level alert has been issued; monitoring continues. Santé Publique France

    Influenza (Marseille / PACA)

    • Activity: As of week 40, flu indicators remain at baseline in all metropolitan regions (including PACA). No flu wave in Marseille yet. Santé Publique France

    • Vaccination window: The 2025-26 flu & Covid vaccination campaign in mainland France runs Oct 14, 2025 → Jan 31, 2026. Co-administration is fine (one jab in each arm), and pharmacies across Marseille can vaccinate. Service Public+1

  • Wastewater basics: SUM’Eau = France’s national sewage surveillance (54 plants, weekly). It’s designed to catch trends early—Marseille is in the network. (Anses)

COVID-19 (Aix / Bouches-du-Rhône / PACA)

  • City data: There isn’t a SUM’EAU wastewater site published for Aix itself; the closest sentinel sites are in the Marseille metro, which the national readout shows stabilizing after several weeks of rise (week 40). Use those as the nearest proxy. odisse.santepubliquefrance.fr+2odisse.santepubliquefrance.fr+2

  • Hospitals (national signal feeding local caution): Week 40 RENAL hospital testing positivity 13.5% for SARS-CoV-2 (up from 11.0% in week 39). While not Aix-specific, that uptick usually precedes more local noise—good to be a bit careful indoors. Santé Publique France

  • Regional context (PACA): The 2025-26 respiratory surveillance season started Sept 29; PACA’s weekly bulletin is the best regional lens for ER visits, SOS-Médecins calls, and any local notes. Santé Publique France

Influenza (Aix / PACA)

  • Activity: As of week 40, flu remains at baseline nationally (including PACA). No flu wave detected around Aix yet. Santé Publique France

  • Vaccination window: The joint flu + Covid campaign for mainland France runs Oct 14, 2025 → Jan 31, 2026; pharmacies in Aix can vaccinate, and co-administration is fine (one in each arm). Ameli+2Ameli+2

Sources to bookmark (our curated essentials):

  • PACA weekly bulletin (SPF): Regional situation & PDFs. (Santé Publique France)

  • Sentinelles (PACA): GP-reported acute respiratory infections. (SentiWeb)

  • SUM’Eau dashboard: Wastewater trends (includes Marseille). (odisse.santepubliquefrance.fr)

  • Ameli (Assurance Maladie): Flu campaign dates; Covid vaccine coverage 100%. (Ameli)

So… how to handle greetings & gatherings this week?

  • Bises without oops: smile + “On évite les bisous en ce moment ?” (Shall we skip kisses for now?) or “Je fais coude-coude !” (elbow bump!). Most people will appreciate the heads-up.

  • Indoors: crack a window; bring a light mask for packed trams, small venues, and crowded queues.

  • Pharmacy plan: book flu + Covid from Oct 14. If you prefer, do them separately—no minimum delay required between the two. (Association Santé Respiratoire France)

Where to get vaccinated in Aix & Marseille

  • Pharmacies & GPs across the metro area; both jabs are widely available and fully reimbursed. Check nearby slots on sante.fr or ask your neighborhood pharmacie (they can schedule you at the counter). (Ameli)

Handy French for every level (use in real life!)

  • A1: Bonjour, on peut éviter les bisous ? J’ai un petit rhume. (Hi, can we skip kisses? I have a little cold.)

  • A2: On dit qu’il y a un petit rebond de Covid. On ouvre la fenêtre ? (They say there’s a little Covid uptick. Shall we open the window?)

  • B1: Les indicateurs restent bas mais je préfère être prudent—on se serre la main ? (Numbers are low, but I’d rather be careful—handshake?)

  • B2: D’après le suivi des eaux usées, ça se stabilise, mais je garde le masque dans les lieux clos très fréquentés. (Wastewater shows stabilization, but I keep a mask for crowded indoor places.)

  • Advanced: Je me fais vacciner grippe + Covid dès le 14 octobre—double protection avant la saison des fêtes. (I’m getting flu + Covid shots from Oct 14—double protection before the holidays.)

Want this as a weekly pulse through flu/Covid season?

I can post a Friday snapshot (bulletin + Sentinelles + SUM’Eau + vaccine notes) so you know whether it’s bises or bisous-rain-check. Say the word and I’ll set it up.

Further reading

  • Santé publique France — National weekly respiratory update (Oct 8): low but stable Covid; hospital virology up; wastewater stabilizing. (Codes06)

  • PACA regional page + weekly bulletins: keep an eye on ER & wastewater signals locally. (Santé Publique France)

  • SUM’Eau explainer & dataset: how wastewater tracking works; stations list (incl. Marseille). (Anses)

  • Flu/Covid vaccination dates & coverage: campaigns start Oct 14; 100% covered. (Ameli)

Your turn 👇

What are you seeing on the ground—in class, at cafés, on the bus? Did your pharmacist give timing tips? Drop a comment with your neighborhood (Aix/Marseille), your vaccine plans, and your favorite polite line for skipping the bises this week.