Chills, headaches, sleepiness, France is flu. Since Monday, the epidemic has been raging and 9 out of 13 departments are particularly affected. Between December 14 and 20, more than 200,000 people joined the flood of these seasonal patients. “This year, Marisol Touraine recalled in a press release on Wednesday, the flu epidemic is early and particularly affects the elderly and frail”.
“I therefore invite all vulnerable people and their relatives to be vaccinated: there is still time to do so,” added the Minister of Health.
Calculator in hand, some specialists do not share this point of view. A flu epidemic lasts between five and ten weeks with an expected peak after two to three weeks. This is precisely the time needed for the vaccine to work. During this period, people are not immune to the virus.
This is why fragile populations and others are called upon to be vaccinated before the arrival of the epidemic. “Those who have not done so, warns virologist Bruno Lina in your journals, have missed the ideal window of opportunity”. Especially if the epidemic wave lasts four weeks.
So, for anyone who has been negligent, the best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands regularly and avoid contact with people who have the flu. A piece of advice repeated 100 times, but still useful. One in three French people do not wash their hands regularly with soap and water, or a hydroalcoholic solution, according to a study just carried out by the IFOP for the Mylan laboratory.
