Lorraine Region | Gastroenteritis: the Great East particularly affected

“The day after Christmas it was very clear. We saw a peak in activity that increased very quickly, “says René Paulus, president of the Regional Order of Pharmacists. At the start of 2020, the gastroenteritis epidemic gripped all of France. And it is particularly virulent in the Grand Est. According to data from the Sentinelles network, just after New Aquitaine, it is in our region that activity is strongest with 426 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for a national average of 326 cases / 100. 000 inhabitants.

Although still weak, activity regarding influenza-like illness is increasing according to data from the Sentinels network.

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Influenza: in the pre-epidemic phase

The Grand Est region entered the flu pre-epidemic phase at the start of the year, as are all regions of France except Hauts-de-France and Normandy today. With 60 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (influenza-like illnesses seen in general practice), the Grand Est is in the national average. The most sustained activity currently is observed in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes with 107 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The Grippenet monitoring system observes that the situation is similar to that of previous years during the same period.

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Still time to get vaccinated

Is there still time to get vaccinated? “Yes,” replies René Paulus, president of the Regional Order of Pharmacists, “but it must be done in the next few days. Ten days are indeed necessary for the acquisition of immunity “. Immunity which, on the other hand, “lasts at least six months”, insists the pharmacist who observes a tendency among certain users to delay the expiry for fear of not being protected any more on D-Day.

For the first year, in order to improve vaccination coverage (35% last season nationwide), trained and voluntary pharmacists can vaccinate against influenza, for the moment the only people who have received a vaccination voucher health insurance, i.e. people over 65, those suffering from a chronic illness or severe obesity and pregnant women. In early January, 2.2 million vaccinations against influenza were carried out in pharmacies at the national level, according to René Paulus.

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