Soon the end of the crisis period?
The flu epidemic is still affecting France but shows "a sharp decrease", the public health agency indicated on Wednesday, also noting the end of the course of bronchiolitis and Covid.
From February 19 to 25, “in France, the flu epidemic continued and we observed for the second consecutive week a sharp decrease in indicators.
The circulation of influenza viruses, however, remained at a high level,” summarized Public Health France in its bulletin on acute respiratory infections.
Overseas, only Guyana and the West Indies were still struggling with the flu.
For the flu epidemic, "we can currently consider that the peak has passed, but the flu is sometimes surprising", declared Tuesday Professor Laëtitia Huart, scientific director of Public Health France, during a press conference on the fall winter season of acute respiratory infections.
Fewer French people at risk were vaccinated against the flu this season: 45.9% at the end of December 2023, compared to 50% for the 2022-2023 season on the same date, and 52.7% for those aged 65 and over alone, compared to 54.7% a year ago.
End of race for bronchiolitis and Covid
“Nearly 60% of injections took place in pharmacies, compared to 52% the previous season,” noted Tuesday Dominique Martin, national medical advisor to health insurance, alongside officials from the Ministry of Health and SPF .
“Vaccination in pharmacies has materialized in the daily lives of the French,” added the Director General of Health, Grégory Emery, during this assessment for the press.
For two other major respiratory epidemics, bronchiolitis, which mainly affects babies, and Covid, the reflux is almost complete.
Bronchiolitis is “finished in all regions of France”, and, overseas, only Mayotte remains in an epidemic, according to the health agency.
As for Covid, which still causes several waves per year and not an annual seasonal epidemic, the indicators continue to decline or remain stable at low levels.
Also readSymptoms, consultation, treatments: how to react calmly to bronchiolitis in a baby
Only a third of French people aged 65 and over have received an anti-Covid reminder since the start of the campaign in the fall.
“There are issues and areas for improvement regarding information on barrier gestures, and the promotion of vaccinations against influenza and Covid,” recognized the Director General of Health on Tuesday.
A new vaccination booster campaign against Covid-19, targeted at the oldest, over 80, and those most at risk, will start in mid-April.