Vaccination is falling. While the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region has entered a flu epidemic phase this week and Covid has not disappeared either and is even experiencing a rebound before the holidays, the population is reluctant to receive an injection. before the end of year holidays, a period conducive to pollution.
Reluctant French
In a Parisian pharmacy, customers are reluctant to get vaccinated, although some are used to receiving their flu dose every year.
“I don’t think I need it. I tell myself that I’m young and it won’t happen to me,” says one of them on BFMTV.
“Normally we get vaccinated every year with my daughter, but not this year, we didn’t get vaccinated because I think there are too many vaccines,” explains another client.
Thousands of deaths every year.
Because of this lack of enthusiasm, pharmacist Alexandre de Courval still has a large stock of flu vaccines.
“People often confuse the flu with a benign winter virus,” he laments into our microphone.
However, it is a “violent syndrome and unfortunately every year there are fatal cases.” In fact, about 10,000 people die from the flu every year in France.
There vaccination Both against flu and against Covid are recommended for people aged 65 and over, with comorbidities, pregnant women or even residents of EHPAD. This year, simultaneous vaccination is recommended for those at highest risk.
Cases on the rise
As of mid-December, eight regions were currently in the pre-epidemic phase in mainland France and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region moved into the epidemic phase this week. In France only Brittany, Normandy, New Aquitaine and Corsica are saved.
Regarding Covid, 34,889 cases were declared in the week of December 4 to 10 and 28,437 between November 27 and December 3, according to figures provided by Public Health France. Therefore, the trend is bullish.
“An effect of trivialization”, according to the minister
Given the increase in flu and Covid infections, the Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, called this Wednesday for a rebound in vaccination.
“We have exceeded 10 million with the flu, we have exceeded 5 million with Covid,” he explained. “We are still ahead of last year’s Covid numbers, we need to catch up a bit on the flu.”
“Perhaps there is a trivialization effect because we have learned to live with Covid and the flu,” analyzes the minister, regarding this year’s low vaccination figures.
Increase in hospitalizations
Between Nov. 27 and Dec. 3, 0.2% of hospitalizations involved a trip to the emergency room for influenza-like illness. The following week, between December 4 and 10, they were 0.4%, double in one week.
Same trend for Covid. The rate of emergency room visits for suspected Covid-19 increased from 2.7% between November 27 and December 3 to 3.2% for the following week.
Good news, however, for bronchiolitis. After experiencing an increase, it seems to have surpassed the peak of contaminations and stabilized.
Source: BFM TV
