Before the arrival of winter, Public Health France calls for “collective mobilization.” In its latest bulletin, the French agency indicates that the 2024-2025 winter period was marked “by a relatively early flu epidemic, of longer duration than average, of significant magnitude and severity for all age groups.”
More than 17,600 people died from the flu, indicates Public Health of France, which adds that another 30,000 were hospitalized and that nearly three million medical consultations were carried out in the city. On average, the flu kills 10,000 people a year.
“Every winter, acute respiratory infections (flu, Covid-19, bronchiolitis) cause several tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. Protecting the most vulnerable and limiting the circulation of these viruses is an important public health issue,” insists Public Health France in its press release.
Faced with the arrival of a new winter period and, therefore, tension in hospital services, Public Health France recalls the tools to prevent an epidemic: protection of infants against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) responsible for bronchiolitis, vaccination against influenza and Covid-19 and barrier gestures: mask in case of symptoms, hand washing and ventilation.
“Insufficient vaccination coverage”
To explain the high mortality last winter, Public Health France highlights an “insufficient vaccination coverage”, “hindered by preconceived ideas”, especially among people at risk.
“In the case of vaccines against Covid-19 and flu, the two main reasons for rejection were the rejection of an annual vaccination, followed by the preference for protection based on barrier gestures,” underlines the government agency, which also mentions “fear of adverse effects” and “recourse to homeopathy or alternative medicine.”
The vaccination campaign against flu and Covid-19 begins on October 14.
Source: BFM TV
