The flu epidemic is at an “exceptionally high” level in the hospital.
France is on red alert. In its bulletin of January 8, Santé Publique France confirms that cases of flu continue to increase “with an exceptionally high level of intensity in the hospital”. Those aged 65 and over represent 69% of hospitalizations. The flu makes you tired, everyone knows that. It is also associated with various ENT symptoms such as runny nose, cough, etc. These symptoms can resemble other respiratory infections such as nasopharyngitis or Covid-19. So how do you know if you have a “real” flu or another virus? Dr Helen Wall, a GP in Bolton, England, explains.
“The flu can be quite bad. You feel fine for a minute and then you start to feel hot. Then you may start to cough, have a runny nose, feel tired and sore.” she recalls on the website of the British media Mirror. So far, nothing very specific. On the other hand, the doctor is more skeptical about continuing his activities normally while having the flu: “People say they had the flu and managed to continue working or running errands.” For Helen Wall, it’s hard to imagine.
“With the real flu, you end up in bed. You won’t be up, you’ll be so tired you’ll have trouble getting out of bed. The flu tends to wipe you out completely.” she distinguishes. These patients perhaps have Covid instead: “Loss of taste and smell, which were important symptoms at the start of the pandemic, are becoming a feature again. As many people have had Covid several times, most feel it less strongly, they just have a mild cough and continue to live without really realizing it.” Which is not possible with the flu. Moreover, very often, people who have had the flu remember it and do not get it again every year like the common cold or Covid.
The flu is not an illness to be neglected since it can be fatal. There are signs of worsening to identify: “If you can’t breathe properly or if you’re so dehydrated that you can’t urinate, if you become very confused, if you collapse. Those are the reasons people go to the hospital.” explains the doctor. Flu vaccination is still possible. It takes around ten days to be protected.
