Autumn sets in with an early and strong return of a procession of viral diseases. The resumption of social life, the relaxation of barrier gestures associated with the circulation on the territory of the bronchiolitis virus and possibly soon of the influenza virus raise fears of seasonal epidemics of greater intensity this year.
Also to the extent that these viruses circulated little or very little last year, the natural collective immune defenses are less strong this year.
For example, children born after March 2020, not having been confronted with the bronchiolitis virus less present last year, have not been able to develop natural defenses against bronchiolitis.
Because the adoption of barrier gestures is an effective way to fight against the transmission of viruses, the Health Insurance, the French Ministry of Solidarity and Health and Public Health, are relaunching information and communication work to remind people of the importance of “barrier gestures” against Covid-19, influenza and other winter viruses.
After two years of communication mainly focused on reminding and teaching gestures during the Covid-19 period, the objective of this campaign is to re-mobilize as many people as possible and to anchor barrier gestures in our daily life. A real issue, while the population has already been very much in demand on these barrier gestures and a feeling of weariness tends to become general.
I – WINTER VIRUSES COME BACK
Bronchiolitis, nasopharyngitis, angina, gastroenteritis… These viruses, a time forgotten, have resurfaced since the beginning of September due to a drop in acquired collective immunity, which also applies to children born after 2020, and also to ‘a relaxation of barrier gestures. Because of this drop in immunity “the epidemics could be of greater intensity this year”, explains Public Health France. With the High Authority of Health (HAS), they stress that the absence of natural immunity acquired in 2020-2021 could increase the risk of transmission of the influenza virus, especially among people most at risk.
According to the latest bronchiolitis surveillance bulletin (1), we observe an increase, in week 41, of 33% of emergency room visits for this pathology in children under 2 years old and of 24% of hospitalizations after visits. to emergencies. This level of emergency room visits is higher than the previous 3 years. In the epidemiological point of the week of October 18, 11 regions were already in the epidemic phase. In addition, an increase in emergency room visits was also observed for bronchitis (+ 15% or +262 passages for all ages), influenza / flu syndrome in adults (+ 31% or +50 passages), pneumonia and ENT in children. (+ 25% and + 13% respectively, i.e. +118 and +1 566 passages) (2). There is also an increase in emergency room visits for conjunctivitis (+ 10% or +51 passages) among 15-74 year olds. Gastroenteritis is also gaining ground.
The adoption of barrier gestures is an effective way to fight against the transmission of all these viruses, including that of influenza, or that of Covid-19 (3).
Covid-19: the number of cases is on the rise in France
This is a trend that has not been observed for two months. The number of Covid-19 cases is on the rise in France. As of October 25, Public Health France notes that the coronavirus epidemic in France is still on the rise with an incidence rate having crossed the threshold of 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (4).
As a reminder, the Institut Pasteur, specifies, in its latest epidemiological model of SARS-CoV-2 (5), that even in vaccinated people, and even more in non-vaccinated people, barrier actions must be maintained to reduce transmission. virus.
II – A LAUNCHING OF BARRIER GESTURES OBSERVED
These simple preventive actions are effective in preserving our health and that of those around us by limiting the transmission of infectious agents. And yet …
In the CoviPrev survey by Public Health France (6), where 2,000 French people are questioned each month, adherence to preventive measures against Covid-19 shows, at the end of September, a continuous slackening observed since the end of the last confinement.
Systematic wearing of a mask in closed public places is down compared to May (65% vs. 82%).
Systematic hand washing continues to decline; it was 59% at the start of September and significantly lower than that observed in May, which was 63%.
59% of respondents say they always greet without shaking hands and avoid hugs, while in May, they were 72%.
Among all these barrier gestures, even if the outside temperatures are cooler, do not forget to ventilate the rooms of your home, office or car. A gesture that gradually seems to be becoming a habit. During this same survey, 45% of respondents declared to air their accommodation systematically every hour for a few minutes, an increase of 6 points compared to May.
Only 53% of French people systematically cover themselves with an arm when they cough or sneeze, according to a recent Ifop survey (7).
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