Flu: the epidemic could be strong this winter, warns immunologist Alain Fischer

After two years of health restrictions, barrier measures and other masks, the general relaxation of the French as winter arrives risks marking the return in force of winter epidemics, starting with the seasonal flu.

At least that’s what Professor Alain Fischer, the government’s former “mister vaccine” fears during the Covid crisis, who mentions “a serious risk of an epidemic” in the columns of the Parisian (Source 1).

“The danger [de la grippe] is not well received”, estimates the professor of immunology. “But the reality of the risks forces us to try vigorously to convince the elderly, frail, and pregnant women to get vaccinated”, he adds to our colleagues from the Parisian.

The specialist also believes that the strategy of the High Authority for Health, which encourages fragile people to receive the flu vaccine and the booster vaccine against Covid-19 on the same day, is not the best. Because some eligible patients would watch for the release of the bivalent vaccine against Covid, which is more effective against the Omicron variant currently in circulation.

In addition, other signals suggest that the flu epidemic will be strong this winter, in particular the fact that the population has been little exposed to the flu virus in the two previous winters, precisely because of the barrier measures. Natural immunity would therefore be reduced. Additionally, the southern hemisphere is just coming out of winter, and has seen a significant increase in flu cases compared to previous years.

Faced with a risk of “Covid-flu cohabitation” who “is nothing to cheer about”, in particular because of the pressure this would place on the hospital systemProfessor Fischer calls on the French to do not wait to go to the pharmacy to get vaccinated.

Remember that vaccination against influenza is recommended:

• for people aged 65 and over;
• for pregnant women, whatever the stage of pregnancy;
• for people, including children from the age of 6 months, suffering from certain chronic pathologies (respiratory, cardiac, metabolic, hepatic, etc.).