Key Points

COVID-19

• An increase in COVID-19 surveillance indicators has been observed in Normandy for about three weeks (SOS-Médecins calls, emergency room visits, viral circulation). This increase mainly affects people under 65, particularly those under 15, while people 65 and older are currently largely unaffected.

• The levels reached by the indicators remain low at this stage but indicate the start of a new wave of the epidemic. There is no impact on surveillance indicators in nursing homes or on mortality, which means there is still time to protect the most vulnerable by implementing preventive measures (including mask-wearing if symptoms are present) and ensuring vaccination is up to date (especially among healthcare staff).

Asthma

• Asthma surveillance indicators for people under 15 in urban areas (SOS-Médecins) and in hospitals (emergency room visits) have risen sharply over the past two weeks. They have reached levels typically observed during the same period in previous years, and it is therefore possible that the trend will continue in line with past patterns.

• This is a resurgence of asthma among children linked to the start of the school year and exposure to respiratory viruses. For children with asthma who are still asymptomatic, resuming maintenance therapy without delay is recommended.