The “triple epidemic” France is facing, with the simultaneous spread of Covid, bronchiolitis and influenza, is “completely unprecedented” and its development is still difficult to predict, Public Health France stressed on Friday.
Influenza strikes the metropolis early, adding to rapidly rising Covid and bronchiolitis at record levels in more than 10 years in infants. This situation is hitting an already proven healthcare system, as it is in other countries, especially the US.
“The situation is completely unprecedented” and full of “uncertainty,” Didier Che, deputy director of infectious diseases, summed up during a press briefing for the public health agency.
“In previous years, there were more respiratory viruses that followed one another: the first circulation of rhinoviruses gave way to RSV (the main virus that causes bronchiolitis, approx. ed.), which, in general, gave way to influenza. cocirculation,” epidemiologist Sophie Waugh described in detail.
A caregiver cares for a child suffering from bronchiolitis in the pediatric emergency room of the Pellegrin hospital in Bordeaux, November 3, 2022, Gironde (AFP/Archive - Philippe LOPE)
The situation is “worrisome” because the addition of these pathologies could lead to “quite a strong clinical impact, especially on hospitals,” she added. And that, even if these viruses do not affect “exactly the same populations”, flu and covid mainly affect the most elderly and vulnerable, bronchiolitis mostly infants.
“It is difficult to predict the occurrence of peaks” of the three epidemics, in particular the possible simultaneous peak of Covid and influenza or even bronchiolitis at Christmas.
One of the big unknowns is the possible competition between influenza and Covid viruses, which could make it difficult for them to coexist and limit the risk of simultaneous peaks.
“It still takes some time to know if this notion of viral cannibalism holds up,” reasoned Mr. Che, who is also “too early to draw conclusions from the American situation.”
France’s public health pushes for vaccinations against Covid as well as influenza as end-of-year celebrations approach with family gatherings promoting virus transmission (AFP / Archives - Ludovic MARIN)
But, he insisted, France is “not yet completely helpless” and has a “preventive arsenal” in the face of this triple epidemic.
French public health is pushing more than ever for Covid vaccinations as well as influenza as end-of-the-year celebrations approach with family gatherings facilitating virus transmission.
Barrier gestures (mask indoors, handwashing, airing out, etc.) are also highly recommended.