Early and virulent, the bronchiolitis epidemic is still particularly active and the right actions are needed.
During the press conference on Friday evening, the Minister of Health, François Braun, naturally mentioned the bronchiolitis epidemic, which burdens the health system and especially requests pediatric services. He relied on the expertise of several medical professors on the subject.
Brigitte Autran, president of the Committee for the Monitoring and Anticipation of Health Crises, thus rejected the term “immune debt” to explain the explosion of cases this year. “It’s not a good term, it’s just that the immune system was less stimulated last year. As a result, the antibodies were transferred less”.
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No treatment, but something to soothe babies
Bronchiolitis is “a viral disease that comes back every winter”, recalled pediatrician Romain Basmaci, who also detailed the main symptoms. “It starts with a cold, then a fever and finally a dry, then greasy cough and difficulty breathing, which can lead to difficulty breathing. This difficulty breathing requires a lot of effort for infants to breathe”.
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If there is no specific treatment to relieve infants, “there are ways to help them: wash the nose with salt water, especially before each meal”.
These movements that avoid the disease
And Professor Basmaci also lists the movements that make it possible to “prevent and avoid infections”.
Thus, “washing your hands before taking care of your baby” continues to be a priority, as is “trying to touch them less and less when you are sick”.
“It is also necessary in connection with the celebration of the end of the year to avoid passing babies from arm to arm, to kiss them if you have a cold, but also to avoid crowded places such as public transport or shopping malls”.
“Ventilate the rooms and avoid smoking in the presence of the child” are other gestures to remember in this epidemic period.
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Finally, Professor Basmaci reminded that “viruses will stay on surfaces for a very long time, and that you have to think about cleaning and disinfecting the surfaces where babies are changed, and avoid changing toys and pacifiers”.