This year, the seasonal flu is wreaking havoc in Morocco. In almost every home there is a patient with the flu which eventually infects the whole family. While most thought it was the return of Covid-19, most of the cases identified, according to pulmonologists, were suffering from the flu which is more ferocious this year than usual, due in particular to the drop demand for the seasonal flu vaccine.
Indeed, this year, demand for seasonal flu vaccines did not experience the usual influx, unlike previous years when demand for this vaccine increased even before the onset of winter, which helped to mitigate its spread.
Medical staff have even noted an increase in the ferocity of the seasonal flu this year compared to previous years when infection cases were at historically low levels, leading to an increase in the number of people infected over the past two years. last weeks.
Meanwhile, medical sources have confirmed the decline in seasonal flu vaccination since the start of the winter season, pointing out that this has caused the spread of virus infection among the groups targeted for seasonal vaccination due to the low individual immunity.
That said, pharmaceutical sources indicated that the low demand this year for the seasonal flu vaccine was not limited to Morocco, but also affected most countries in the Mediterranean region, calling on the Ministry of Health and Social Protection to provide this specialty to pharmacists so that citizens can be vaccinated in pharmacies.
The Confederation of Moroccan Syndicates of Pharmacists had previously sent official correspondence to the Minister of Health, calling for the use of pharmacies, as qualified health establishments, to vaccinate citizens against seasonal flu, in anticipation of any developments. epidemiological situation which could aggravate the current health situation.
The correspondence emphasized that the involvement of the pharmacy sector in this process is part of the proactive approach required and the vigilance necessary to protect the health security of the country, in preparation for the process of vaccination against seasonal influenza in an effective manner. , in particular by bringing the vaccination process closer to target groups, such as the elderly and people with chronic diseases.
Jamal Eddine Bouzidi, a doctor specializing in respiratory diseases, confirmed that ” the ferocity of the seasonal flu has increased this year compared to previous years, due to the confusion that has arisen with the Covid-19, especially since the whole world has fixed its attention on the pandemic since 2020, without mention other diseases of the respiratory system ».
In a statement to Hespressthe doctor pointed out that “ the spread of the seasonal flu coincides with the emergence of the new variant of Covid-19 in China, which prompted the Moroccan State to take several strict measures to prevent its entry into the national territory, temporarily at least, until that its characteristics and modes of propagation are discovered ».