The flu continues to rage intensely in the Occitanie region, with indicators levels exceeding the peaks of the two previous seasons. Faced with this worrying situation, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) announced the extension of the vaccination campaign until February 28, 2025. In the Gard department, health authorities call for increased vigilance, especially for populations The most vulnerable and children.
Viral traffic up in the Gard
The flu has a strong pressure on local health establishments. Last week, 848 people consulted the emergency room in the region for influenza syndromes, 176 of which were hospitalized. Children under the age of 15 are particularly affected, representing 7 % of emergency passages and 7.7 % of hospitalizations in Occitania. In the Gard, these figures translate a surge in consultations in medical offices and hospitals.
Barriers and vaccination: essential tools
To stem the propagation of the virus, the ARS insists on the importance of barrier gestures, especially in Gard families:
- Port of the mask in the event of symptoms.
- Regular hand washing.
- Daily ventilation of closed places.
In parallel, vaccination remains a key weapon to protect populations at risk. People aged 65 and over, pregnant women, individuals with comorbidities and residents of medico-social establishments are particularly invited to be vaccinated. Vaccination coverage remains insufficient in the region, and the authorities call for collective mobilization to limit serious forms and hospitalizations.
-Specific actions for the Gard
In the Gard, targeted information campaigns and mobile vaccination devices are underway to reach isolated or little aware populations. These efforts aim to improve vaccination coverage, which remains below expectations.
Call for collective responsibility
ARS recalls that vaccination is a double protection, individual and collective. The less the virus circulates, the lower the risk of serious complications is high. In the Gard as elsewhere, there is still time to be vaccinated to contribute to the fight against this winter epidemic.
