Many consider influenza to be a benign condition, but it is false. Do not confuse the flu and flu symptoms (aches, fever, fatigue ...) due to moderately aggressive viruses.

The true flu, it is formidable: "it affected 1.9 million people during the winter of 2016-2017 and caused more than 14 000 deaths," says Professor Bruno Lina, professor of virology at the University Lyon 1 and head of the National Reference Center on Influenza. It is therefore better to protect oneself effectively in the autumn, before the epidemic takes too much damage.

Seniors are not the only ones concerned

Older people are of course vulnerable, as their bodies are often weaker. But the over 65s are not the only ones to have to be vaccinated.

"All people with a chronic disease are also invited to do so: asthmatics, diabetics, patients with renal or respiratory insufficiency, patients with severe obesity *, etc.", assures Dr. Geneviève Motyka, Assistant to the Medical Consultant National Fund of National Health Insurance.

Pregnant women are also at risk because their immune system is less valiant, as are infants under 6 months at risk (premature, immunocompromised ...). In this case, the vaccine is 100% covered by social security. But all other people can also be vaccinated to cross the winter safely and avoid spreading the virus to those around them.

Efficiency varies according to the years

The vaccine never protects 100%. Its composition is modified every year because Influenza viruses responsible for influenza circulate as they please around the world and evolve regularly. We must therefore anticipate several months in advance.

"From the data provided by the global influenza surveillance networks, WHO is identifying which strains are likely to proliferate the following winter," Prof. Bruno Lina said. Sometimes one of the viruses mutates bad luck, but it rarely happens for the three strains that are part of the vaccine.

"The effectiveness of vaccination varies from one year to the next and according to the categories of people," adds Professor Lina. It was only 30% last year, but it reached 70% in previous years for all age groups.

The 2017-2018 vaccine protects against a new strain of Influenza H1N1 (H1N1 Michigan) virus, as well as the Hong Kong H virus (H3N2) and Brisbane virus B.

Minimal side effects

Injection site inflammation and a small fever may occur after vaccination. Nothing serious then. But mistrust of vaccines is such that 50% of people at risk refuse to be vaccinated.

"This fear is unjustified, says Dr. Jacques Gaillat, infectious disease at the Annecy-Genevois Hospital Center. It stems from controversies raised by vaccines against hepatitis B and papillomavirus, but no study has shown that they can induce autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Doubts also hang over the safety of aluminum-based adjuvants for certain vaccines. But the one sold in France against the flu does not contain it.

However, since it is produced from egg proteins, people allergic to eggs must seek the advice of their allergist before getting the vaccine.

* BMI greater than or equal to 40