Since last week, New Aquitaine has been in the pre-epidemic phase. The latest known indicators are up. The majority virus mainly affects people over 65. However, vaccination is significantly behind schedule compared to last year.
And three! After bronchiolitis, after Covid, here is the 2022 version of the flu. It is ahead and cuts France into two colors: red for 9 regions, orange for four others including New Aquitaine.
The indicators collected by Public Health France are increasing, such as the acts of SOS doctors, which climb from 5.1% to 8% in one week for the flu.
The virus, mainly A (H3N2), has been circulating more for two weeks.
What worries is that in Canada and the United States where the flu comes earlier, it mainly affects people over 65 years of age.
The flu, whose incubation period varies from 1 to 3 days, recalls Public Health France “is an acute, contagious respiratory infection” which is transmitted from person to person through respiratory secretions during sneezing or coughing, or by indirect contact through contaminated objects.
Confined and very busy places (metro, bus, school communities, etc.) are conducive to their transmission.
Two measures effectively prevent the flu.
First the barrier gestures. These are the same to fight against bronchiolitis, Covid and even gastroenteritis: wear a mask, wash your hands in particular
Laurent Filleul insists
“Our speech at Public Health France is to wear the mask with good reason: if you are symptomatic, you wear the mask. In a confined environment such as transport, we wear the mask. On the other hand, in the street, no need for a mask. This is common sense behavior“.
The other preventive measure is the vaccine, different from that of Covid. However, according to a large pharmaceutical group, vaccinations are down 47.5% in its pharmacies compared to last year at the same time.
However, it is strongly recommended, for those over 65, in particular by doctors and the government:
We must do pedagogy insists Laurent Filleul.
People do not necessarily realize that vaccination makes it possible to avoid serious forms for the flu as for Covid. It is a progress in science and medicine that we must take advantage of.
As for the hypothesis that we would be more vulnerable to the virus because for three years we have been masked, no study has validated it for the moment, indicates the head of the regional unit of Public Health France in New Aquitaine at French public health.