Influenza virus particles, types A and B, have increased significantly in wastewater from Louvain in Flemish Brabant. Data from the Sciensano Public Health Institute confirm that the spread is also increasing nationally: the flu virus is found in wastewater from five of the thirty measuring points.
“In addition, more and more patients are submitting positive flu PCR tests to the University Hospital of Leuven. Taking these two parameters into account, we can therefore say that the flu season has really started,” adds the researcher Elke Wollants. She specifies that we are still far from the peak. “This generally occurs in January and February, after the Christmas holidays. The hardest part is yet to come. And the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season is also underway.”
Elke Wollants advises risk groups to get vaccinated. “This can be done without a prescription from the pharmacist. It is really recommended for people over 65 but also for healthcare personnel. Personally, I recommend it to everyone. I have been taking it myself for a twenty years We must not forget that the flu can make us seriously ill and can even lead to hospitalization of the most vulnerable people.
The protection is active two weeks after the injection. “So it’s not too late,” insists Elke Wollants. A person belonging to the risk group pays 4 euros for the vaccine compared to 17 euros for the general public.
Belgium
