in the absence of coverage of the pandemic

The France is entered in the flu epidemic phase. The Sentinel Network, which lists weekly data from 1,300 doctors, announced 52,300 case last week (against 31.100 the previous week), or 83 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The cap of the epidemic - set at 80 cases currently - is therefore just crossed. "Must await a second week to confirm the overflow and validate the arrival of the outbreak in France", said the head of the network to the AFP. This figure relates to all types of flu, those due to the H1N1 virus in seasonal influenza virus. The Sentinel Network is not able to isolate only cases of H1N1, but stressed that this virus is "dominant".

It considers 45.500 excess of cases reported the week last from the same week in 2008. This gives an indication of the importance of the H1N1 flu, but the network remains cautious: "it might be the excess of observed cases attributable to influenza A (H1N1), but cannot be excluded that it was an excess of consultations for flu syndrome on the part of people who would not come see normally (i.e. in the absence of coverage of the pandemic). For its part, the Institute of Eve sanitaire (InVS), concluded yesterday, that 6,000 people had been affected by the H1N1 flu virus last week (confirmed), a "slow progress" from the week previous (5.000 cases). "The virus circulation intensifies", nevertheless commented the InVS.

Vaccine strategy

The passage in the epidemic phase has no consequences, for the moment, on the Organization of the care system. The passage in phase 6 is still not decided. It will be decided in function, including the severity of the disease. It should trigger the free availability of stocks of antiviral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza, reimbursed only to 35 by health insurance today.

In the meantime, the Government is continuing the preparation of the vaccination campaign. The High Council of public health experts must know today their recommendations on the strategy to be followed, and in particular the population to be vaccinated as a priority. According to the "daily of physician", four groups have been identified as priority. First health workers, firefighters, policemen, military, responsible for administration, or two to three million people. Then people at greater risk of mortality - for example the insufficient respiratory. They are also estimated between two and three million. These two groups are considered "priority among the priority". Two other populations should be vaccinated before others: 10 millions of schoolchildren and college students, which transmit more massively pandemic, and staff working close to the people most at risk, particularly in retirement homes.

Progressive arrival of doses

The Ministry of health says it is not the exhaustive list, because the recommendations of the High Council will cover all the French. It also recalls that the vaccine strategy, set by the Government on the basis of this opinion, should target, as a first step, much smaller populations. Vaccines should indeed happen that gradually - approximately two million doses a week - at the end of the month. Must then await the green light from the European health authorities, scheduled for mid-October. They detail the side effects of the products.