the essential
The flu continues to circulate actively throughout the region as well as throughout the national territory. Faced with this situation, the vaccination campaign is extended until February 28.
The flu epidemic is still intense currently in Occitanie with indicator levels higher than the epidemic peaks of the two previous seasons, the Occitanie Regional Health Agency (ARS) indicated this week. “The use of hospitals in connection with influenza remains very high: last week, 848 people went to the emergency room for influenza-like illness and 176 of these visits resulted in hospitalization. In medical practices, the number of consultations for flu or flu syndrome is also still very important”, indicated the ARS on Thursday which ensures particular vigilance concerning children.
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“Among those under 15, the circulation of the virus is clearly increasing. In this age group, flu-like illnesses represented 7% of emergency room visits and 7.7% of hospitalizations in Occitanie,” indicates the ARS, which recalls some basic rules to limit the spread, particularly within families. “It is essential to adopt daily barrier gestures (wearing a mask, washing hands and ventilating premises) particularly in the event of symptoms. Simple but effective, these gestures make it possible to significantly reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses.”
Faced with the virulence of the epidemic, the flu vaccination campaign is extended until February 28, 2025 to slow transmission, prevent serious forms and reduce hospitalizations.
-Occitanie less vaccinated
“The joint vaccination campaign against influenza and Covid-19 is extended until February 28, 2025” and “fragile people are invited to be vaccinated without delay”, announced the Directorate General of Health in a press release on Wednesday. . “It is still time and useful to be vaccinated. Vaccination is particularly recommended for vulnerable people (65 years and over, people with comorbidities, pregnant women, residents of medico-social establishments) but also for those around them and those around them. health or social sector professionals”, recalls the ARS.
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A useful reminder because in Occitanie, vaccination coverage of people at risk remains insufficient, with a vaccination rate of 34.4% in the region, compared to 35.6% for mainland France, according to the first regional and departmental estimates, in start of the season, November 30, 2024.
The winter flu epidemic, which usually lasts ten to twelve weeks, started a little earlier this season, before the end-of-year holidays. In mid-January, influenza viruses are still actively circulating and, in France, the epidemic remains at a high level of intensity, in all age groups. Of “marked severity” this 2024-2025 season, this influenza epidemic has a “still significant impact” on deaths and causes hospital activity “still high”, according to the report from Public Health France for the third week of January , also released Wednesday.
