Key Points

• In Week 45 (November 6–12, 2023), the first week back to school, activity at SOS Médecins clinics increased among children aged 2–14 (+12%, or +2,404 visits) and remained stable or declined in other age groups.

• The increase in activity linked to the start of the school year affects most indicators and the most common conditions among 2- to 14-year-olds, at levels similar to previous years: trauma, viral syndrome, isolated fever, as well as suspected COVID (+55%, or +71 cases) and scarlet fever (+54%, or +56 cases).

• Regarding seasonal respiratory indicators, the increase in cases for influenza/influenza-like illness continues among children and adults aged 15–74 (respectively +46% and +18%, or +223 and +390 cases), at levels comparable to last year.

• After several weeks of increases, cases of bronchiolitis among children under 2 and pneumonia across all age groups are declining.

• There has also been an increase in cases related to digestive disorders: for gastroenteritis in children and those aged 15–74 (up 31% and 30%, respectively, or 458 and 714 cases), vomiting in children (+39%, or +81 cases), and acute abdominal pain in 2- to 14-year-olds (+59%, or +185 cases).

• Regarding mental health indicators, there was an increase in procedures for anxiety across all age groups (+14%, or +138 procedures), which was more pronounced among children (31 procedures in Q45 vs. 14 in Q44, or +121%) and for depressive disorders among those aged 45–64 (+34%, or +19 procedures).