Fever, chills, body aches: the indicators do not deceive: the flu is already there. In Occitania, it is even established for three weeks. In his last bulletin published this January 2, Public Health France has placed six regions including ours again in the pre-epidemic, phase which precedes by a few weeks the beginning of the epidemic. The other regions are Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Brittany, Ile-de-France, Pays de la Loire and Provence-Alpes-Côte d´Azur.
Vaccination still effective in January, but not really after
To avoid the epidemic, the best way is vaccination, recalls the national agency. And it is still possible in pharmacies, for the most vulnerable people. “You have until the end of January to get the vaccine from your pharmacist”, says Emmanuelle Roumy-Gantié, pharmacist in Toulouse.
Occitanie had tested vaccination in pharmacies in 2018 and stocks are always provided. Influenza vaccination is particularly recommended for people over 65, patients with certain chronic diseases (diabetes, heart or respiratory failure, etc.), pregnant women and people suffering from morbid obesity. “There are a fortnight of incubation for the vaccine” before being protected against the virus, warns the pharmacist.
In 2018, more than 1,000 influenza-related deaths were recorded in Occitania according to the Regional Health Agency. The flu vaccination rate is 50% lower than the national average.
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