Bedridden for five days, Emilie has rarely been so ill. Cough, fever, tremors, nausea, extreme fatigue, cruel lack of appetite… Nothing is spared. “I know very well that, in these cases, you have to take Dafalgan and wait for it to pass. But the other evening, I was on the verge of calling 144.” And it’s not Covid, assures the 30-year-old from Geneva, with a test to back it up.
For her part, Lauren had the same symptoms: “I burped her during my two weeks of vacation. My whole family, including my grandparents, was affected.” Although she is recovering nicely, the 30-year-old Vaudoise has left some after-effects: “I have remnants of a cough and I get tired very quickly. At noon, I can’t go any further.”
According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), this is indeed the particularly stubborn seasonal flu, which started before Christmas. And the peak has not yet been reached. All age groups are affected. “In wastewater, we also observe an increase in the viral load in most regions,” says Céline Reymond, spokesperson for the office.
According to official figures, French-speaking Switzerland seems to be more affected by the epidemic. The record goes to the canton of Vaud, with 36.18 cases per 100,000 inhabitants as of December 30, 2024. It is followed by Jura (33.54), Valais (31.16), Neuchâtel (24.68), Geneva (18.69) and Friborg (10.25). In German-speaking Switzerland, Basel-Landschaft (15.06) and Thurgau (12.87) are the most affected. The country’s average is 12.75 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
As for the Covid-19 wave, it seems to have passed its peak. The authorities have in fact observed a downward trend in the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections for several weeks.
Barrier gestures that we know
Regarding influenza vaccination, the OFSP maintains that its effectiveness “depends on age and state of health as well as the strains of Influenza virus in circulation”. “Because if it does not always protect, depending on the season and the people vaccinated, studies estimate the effectiveness of 20 to 80%.” In case of a weakened immune system, effectiveness is often reduced. “However, if flu occurs despite everything, the symptoms (of vaccinated people) are often weakened and serious complications are rarer,” concludes Céline Reymond.
To protect yourself from this, it is recommended to:
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Stay home if you have symptoms
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Keep your distance
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Wear a mask
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Ventilate several times a day
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Wash your hands thoroughly or disinfect them
