As the flu continues to advance in France, with all departments at epidemic level, many French people are reluctant to get vaccinated this winter, letting the virus spread.
In a pharmacy in Brest, Finisterre, several customers confess to not having had an injection, believing that it is not necessary.
“I have a good immune system and I’m not necessarily afraid,” says a young woman before our microphone. “It is not necessarily necessary to get vaccinated, it is for older people,” says another.
Pharmacist Julie Amouyal says few clients are receiving the flu vaccine this winter. “Today (Saturday), this morning only one person came to get vaccinated, yesterday (Friday) we only had three,” he lists, compared to “between 30 and 40 people per day” at the beginning of winter. .
A “very weak” vaccination
If French Public Health has not published figures on the number of flu vaccinations, the president of the Federation of French Pharmaceutical Unions (FSPF) and of the Liberal Health Workers (LBS), Philippe Besset, told France Info Last December 27 that “the goal of 10 million people were vaccinated” against the flu this winter.
For the pharmacist, this is a “very low” vaccination rate, despite a “small increase” at the end of the year.
For Pasteur Institute virologist Vincent Enouf, the progression of the virus can be explained by the insufficient vaccination rate, but not only that. “The virus will have an easier time (…) passing from man to man due to these temperatures,” he told BFMTV, referring to the cold of recent days.
“Vaccination is still the best way to protect yourself”
According to the latest French Public Health (SPF) bulletin, published on Thursday, January 2, the flu epidemic has intensified and now affects all departments of France.
“In France, the flu epidemic is intensifying. All flu indicators continued to increase significantly in S52 (52nd week of the year, editor’s note) in all age groups,” warns the SPF.
“Vaccination remains the best way to protect against influenza and Covid-19, particularly against severe forms of these diseases,” reminds the SPF.
A lagging practice
At the end of November, health authorities once again launched the call for flu vaccinations, concerned about a decline in the practice. In fact, the number of doses of flu vaccines administered had decreased by 5%, with 8 million registered then, compared to 8.4 million in the same period in 2023, according to the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France, which mentioned the AFP a “bad start”. to the vaccination campaign.”
However, the vaccine is recommended “for all eligible people, to protect them and those around them,” particularly people over 65 years of age or immunocompromised, babies over 6 months with comorbidities, pregnant women, residents of medical centers. social. establishments of all ages, according to SPF.
But it does not only concern older people, since it is also recommended for people in regular contact with people who are immunosuppressed or vulnerable to serious forms of infection, including health professionals.
The flu vaccination campaign was launched on October 15, 2024 and should continue until January 31.
Source: BFM TV
