when illnesses disrupt the end of year celebrations – Libération

While the French gathered with their families for Christmas, the flu and other winter illnesses are exploding, according to the latest figures from Public Health France. The French flu circulation map, published on December 26, is scarlet.

This Christmas 2024, Aurore was impatiently waiting for it: returning from China, this 28-year-old English teacher had not seen certain members of her family for almost two years. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins ​​gathered at his parents' house near Niort (Deux-Sèvres). On the evening of the 24th, she helps in the kitchen, does the serving, doesn't really have time to chat – it doesn't matter, she can do it the next day. That was without counting the gastrointestinal illness that struck her down a few hours later. Migraine in the morning, when opening gifts, then increasing pain. “I left the table after eating two petit fours. I spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping and going to the bathroom to throw up.” Not really the reunion imagined. The day before, it was his sister who hadn't been able to wake up.

Many others, like her, had to swap oysters, chestnuts or logs for a bed and herbal tea. “No luck,” you could say. Not so surprising either: Christmas has the unfortunate habit of being celebrated in the middle of epidemics – and can even fuel them, by encouraging gatherings. Just take a look at the