8/14/2019 Should we Be Afraid of the Swine Flu in France

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Should we Be Afraid of the Swine Flu in France ?

We should consider the swine flu more seriously than a cold since any flu isalways a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. Young children, pregnantwomen and people with respiratory problems are more liable to be infected by

the flu influenza, especially when they have not been vaccinated against a newvirus that has just mutated.

Every year the regular flu kills 36,000 people in America, 40, 000 in Europe.

According to the World Health Organization, France is part of the countries withconfirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) in the European region where about 261people have already died.

Today, the new influenza virus is spreading in France with a few fatal cases butthe French government has already procured emergency laboratory supplies of

vaccines and masks. What is more, people caring for or exposed to infectedpeople have been encouraged to have their annual flu shot. In addition,President Obama has just declared the swine flu a national emergency

Luc Chatel, the French education minister, is ready to close down all the schoolsbecause of the swine flu. All information about healthy habits for flu preventionwas given to the principals in September to prevent the spread of the influenza. If schools close, the pupils will be able to attend educational programs and studyon-line at home on France 5, Radio France and the internet.

However, the regular flu kills more than the swine flu, not only in the Southern

countries but also in Europe. So far, only 31 fatal cases of the swine flu havebeen reported in France. Although the vaccination is the most effective fluprevention, the regular flu viruses always develops resistance to the antiviralmedicines and vaccines.

The very young, the over 65 and the chronically ill are always the first victimswhatever the type of the influenza. The 11 month old baby who died from theswine flu on 18 October already suffered from a serious congenital heart disease.

If vaccination is the only effective way to fight against any type of influenza, youshould always follow good hand hygiene and cover your mouth and nose whencoughing and sneezing, using a tissue, then throw it away as quick as possible, wash yourhands with soap and water and clean all hard surfaces with cleaning products, especially inpublic areas.

The usual symptoms are sudden high fever, dry cough, headache, muscle and joint pain,severe malaise, sore throat and running nose. In that case, you should contact a generalpractitioner.

You may need a few very useful French expressions to give explanations to the doctor

Jai de la fivre : I have fever

Je tousse : I am coughing

Cest une toux sche : it is a dry cough

Jai mal la tte : I have a headacheJai des coubatures : muscle and joint pain

8/14/2019 Should we Be Afraid of the Swine Flu in France

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Je ne me sens pas bien : I do not feel well

Je suis trs fatigu : I am very tired

Jai le nez qui coule : my nose is running

Jai des frissons : I keep shivering

The H1N1 Flu is spreading in France

The French Health Services have noted a sudden increase of the number of peopleconsulting for the H1N1 flu in the Ile-de-France region but a lesser increase in the largestcities.

H1N1 cases have increased steeply since last week: 76 patientshave already been into the hospital, 22 people are seriously ill and 4patients died from 19 to 25 October in Metropolitan France.So far, 5, 857 deaths have been reported in the world, especially in the Northern hemisphere in the United Statesand Brazil with a sudden increase of over 1, 000 deaths reported on 26 October.

The French government said everything has been done to protect people against the swine flu since 94 millionvaccines are ready to be administered. The World Health Organization said on Friday that a single dose of H1N1vaccine should be used to protect against H1N1.

However, the largest and best known pharmaceutical firms have been accused of influencing the health policy of the French government since the H1N1 vaccine experts have received financial support from the pharmaceuticalindustry. The 94 million vaccines in France cost 871 million Euros and the doses of H1N1 vaccines cost between6.25 Euros a single dose (Sanofi-Pasteur Maker) to 10 Euros (Baxter Laboratory). The French Socialist Partycriticized the expensive mass vaccination campaign and the price disparities of the vaccines. Many influenzavaccines may go unused since only 17% of the French intend to be vaccinated.

In addition, most hospitals are not ready to face a sudden increase in the number of H1N1 infected people due tolack of beds and the school vacations in October may increase the H1N1 risks in the regions.