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“Covid has eradicated everything.“For several days, the messages on social networks have been surprised to hear only the Covid-19 epidemic, at the expense of diseases usually at the center of concerns at this stage of the year. In particular that of Silvano Trotta, YouTuber who in recent months has acquired a large audience criticizing the words of the scientists and who appears in the cast of the speakers of the conspiratorial documentary “Hold-up”.
By the way, if a doctor has often come across a case of flu, pneumonia, nasopharyngitis, tonsillitis etc … at the end of November, can you write to me? Thanks. Because this Covid has eradicated everything! Sacred him!
– SILVANO (@silvano_trotta) November 23, 2020
According to the authors of these publications, attention to the health crisis would mask the circulation of seasonal viruses. In particular that of the flu, which had been talked about a lot in recent weeks due to the shortage of vaccines, after the launch in October of the official vaccination campaign against this disease. Cellule Vrai du Faux by Franceinfo explains why the claim that Covid-19 takes precedence over seasonal flu is unfounded.
Because the flu “season” hasn’t really started
In its dossier on seasonal flu, which was last updated in May 2019, Public Health France notes that “in mainland France, the outbreak occurs annually, generally between the months of November and April, usually beginning in late December-early January.“Currently, only at the end of November, the country is not within the usual range for the outbreak of the seasonal flu epidemic.
According to data collected by the Sentinelles network, which has been monitoring the incidence of flu symptoms since 1984, the epidemic peak generally occurs in January and February. With some exceptions, as was the case during the 2009-2010 season, when the flu epidemic reached its peak in early December. Conversely, in 2016, the peak was reached in mid-March.
The occurrence of the epidemic therefore varies every year, as does its duration – eight weeks in 2018-2019, double in 2017-2018 – and its intensity. It is therefore not surprising that to date city doctors and hospitals have not reported an increase in cases of seasonal flu.
Because the data of the health authorities attest to a very limited circulation of the flu
The flu epidemiological bulletin published on November 25 by Public Health France, which covers the second week of November, indicates that it is at this stage “no circulation of influenza viruses identified by dedicated surveillance networks“Only six cases have been detected in hospitals in different regions, including at least two in patients returning from a trip abroad.
That said, in the context of the health crisis, Public Health France warns that “influenza surveillance is based only on confirmed influenza diagnoses: virological data, severe cases of influenza admitted to the ICU and reports of acute respiratory infections associated with influenza in older communities. “
The same week – knowing that the surveillance was started, as usual, at the end of September-beginning of October – no cases of influenza had been identified in the nursing homes, nor among the patients admitted to intensive care. Among all emergency room visits, less than 0.1% occurred due to a flu-like illness, according to data from the Géodes platform.
“The outbreak may be a little later, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen, decoded by Alexandre Bleibtreu, medical specialist in infectious diseases at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital. But we have to look at what happened in the southern hemisphere, particularly in Australia: in the period of the southern winter, there was no flu epidemic or significant circulation of flu viruses this year. . In France, if the situation follows the same trajectory, there will be very few or no cases of influenza.“
Because health measures could prevent any flu epidemic
The measures imposed by the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic could significantly slow the progression of the flu. Confined, the French come into less contact with each other and do not gather for large gatherings. Wearing a generalized mask limits the transmission of viruses via droplets or air.
As for the barrier gestures against Covid-19, Alexandre Bleibtreu notes that they are “for many those recommended every year for the flu: blow your nose with disposable handkerchiefs and throw them in a garbage can, wash your hands, stay away from the most fragile … “
In the midst of a health crisis, public authorities have also focused on flu vaccination. “All the measures that we have tried to disseminate in society for years and years are already in place“, the infectious doctor from Pitié-Salpêtrière rejoices. Even if”SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses do not have exactly the same modes of transmission“, the fight against one is effective against the other and vice versa.”If we add up the epidemiological data from Asia, a slightly stronger adherence to the flu vaccine this year, as well as the maintenance of barrier gestures and the establishment of prison terms, it is very likely that we this year do not have a seasonal epidemic peak“, concludes Alexandre Bleibtreu.
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