The flu epidemic is still accelerating in France. Without sparing children, many of whom are in hospital, it continues to be deadly among adults, even though the vaccine is proving to be of little use among the elderly, who are particularly vulnerable.
The last few days have been marked by a "sharp intensification of the epidemic in France", summarized the Public Health France agency in a weekly report, closed on Sunday January 26.
This new assessment paints, in several ways, an even more worrying picture than in previous weeks, when the epidemic had already been intense since the start of winter.
The disease is indeed circulating at a very high level, never seen since the Covid crisis of the early 2020s. The epidemic is benefiting in particular from the simultaneous circulation of three strains of the virus.
Many hospitals have launched emergency plans to better respond to the influx of patients, and health authorities have extended the flu vaccination campaign until the end of February, judging vaccination coverage to be insufficient.
For the time being, the epidemic shows no signs of abating. All metropolitan regions remain affected, according to the latest report from Public Health France, as well as Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana overseas.
Among adults, mortality seems particularly high compared to previous years. It is still too early to give a precise estimate in terms of the number of deaths, but initial indicators give an idea of the situation.
"The share of deaths with a mention of influenza among electronically certified deaths (remains) very high compared to previous epidemics," with approximately 7% of deaths associated with influenza, according to the public health agency.
These deaths overwhelmingly affect those over 65, which justifies the health authorities' desire to speed up vaccination, given that a significant proportion of elderly people have not had recourse to it.
The medical association supported this voluntarism this week, regretting a vaccination campaign that had until then been "too timid".
"The lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic are unfortunately not having any long-term effects," the order said in a press release published on Tuesday, regretting "a gradual lack of responsibility among citizens, as well as a lack of vaccination culture in France."
– Ventilation and hand washing –
However, a worrying element has now emerged in the public health agency's report. The flu vaccine this year appears to be relatively ineffective in older people, probably due to the presence of several strains of the virus at the same time.
According to preliminary data, the vaccine only works at 35% in those over 65. While this may limit the spread of the virus at the collective level, individual interest may be harder to gain acceptance.
"Given the low effectiveness of the flu vaccine in those aged 65 and over (...) the systematic adoption of barrier measures within the general population remains essential," recognizes Public Health France.
This includes wearing a mask when experiencing symptoms, a practice that has largely declined since the Covid years, ventilating confined spaces and systematically washing hands.
The situation appears all the more worrying as children are also very affected by the flu this year. While mortality remains marginal in this age group, hospitalizations are numerous.
The flu is currently causing "exceptionally high activity among children" in terms of consultations and hospital stays, the agency summarizes.
This situation particularly concerns the little ones. Relatively spared this year by the bronchiolitis epidemic, which is gradually ending without too much damage in contrast to a very harsh 2022/2023 season, babies are being hit hard by the flu.
Among those over four years old, around a tenth of hospitalizations are linked to this disease, a proportion never seen in recent years.