In a survey, the French (and especially seniors) approve of the obligation to vaccinate nursing staff against the flu, whether or not they are in contact with the fragile.
Despite prevention campaigns and calls for vaccination against influenza for so-called “at risk” populations, influenza vaccination has taken a turn for the worse in recent years, including among healthcare personnel for whom the vaccination obligation against influenza was lifted in 2006.
France has been going through a very high peak of flu infections for several weeks now and hospitals overwhelmed by this sudden influx of patients are making headlines. In the latest MNH-Odoxa health book (1), the French are in favor of certain measures to combat this seasonal epidemic.
Hospitals under tension… What measures
To cope with this flu peak, the people questioned approve, for example, of the reinforcement of healthcare teams by nursing students (77%). But also the fact of postponing non-urgent operations (68%) planned in order to free up beds in hospitals. This measure was recently tested since around 200 hospitals triggered the “hospital under tension” system in early January, temporarily reopening beds and canceling non-urgent interventions, at the request of the Minister of Health.
However, on this point, there is a real gap between the youngest and their elders: the former being “only” a narrow majority of 54% to be in favor of the idea of postponing non-urgent operations when the latter are more three-quarters (77%) are in favour.
Caregivers must lead by example
And about the current debate on the obligation to vaccinate caregivers, the French (and especially seniors) are uncompromising. They seem convinced by this measure. Thus, two thirds of them (66%) and 80% of those over 65 are in favor of the idea that people in contact with seniors should be obliged to get vaccinated, and 61% of French people / 76% of those over 65 years are favorable for all caregivers.
With regard to forcing the most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and young children, to be vaccinated: only one in two French people support this measure (52%), even though the health authorities encourage these populations considered “at risk” to be vaccinated. Finally, in no case is there any question in the eyes of the French to make vaccination against the flu compulsory for the whole of the population: more than three quarters of the French are opposed to it!
One in ten French people affected by the flu?
In this survey, one in ten French people (10%) say they have been personally affected by the flu in recent weeks, 9% say that someone close to them in their household has been affected and 30% know people around them who have been hit by the flu recently. It is therefore nearly one in two French people (49%) who has been affected, directly or indirectly, by the flu in recent weeks.
During these first 6 weeks of the epidemic, Public Health France estimates for its part that 1,339,000 people would have consulted a general practitioner for this reason. A provisional assessment which will surely increase according to the Agency since the national peak has not yet been reached.
(1) Survey carried out by Odoxa for the MNH, Le Figaro and France Inter on January 19 and 20, 2017 on a sample of 1,006 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over
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