Europe 1 with AFP 6:48 p.m., November 18, 2021
The health authorities recalled this Thursday the actions to be respected in order to protect children from the bronchiolitis virus which is actively circulating at the moment.
Airing the rooms, washing the soft toys and limiting kisses is essential to limit the spread of the disease which can be particularly serious for children under two months old.
This is one of the consequences of the decrease in our vigilance vis-à-vis barrier gestures: an early epidemic of bronchiolitis is striking children at this time.
Avoid kisses to babies, wash blankets and ventilate the room: the health authorities recalled this Thursday some precautions to protect the little ones from the virus.
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A virus dangerous for toddlers
"It is a frequent disease and most often benign", but "very young children, in particular aged less than two months, can present more serious forms which may require hospitalization, sometimes in critical care", underlines the Ministry of Health in a press release.
The epidemic is in advance this winter and has affected all of mainland France since early November.
The authorities fear that it is stronger than usual, since the confinement and anti-Covid barrier gestures last winter had also blocked the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), responsible for bronchiolitis.
Restrict contacts
To protect "infants and young children", the ministry recommends "to limit visits to the circle of very close and not sick adults", and to avoid "kisses and passing from arm to arm" as well as visits to "young children. before the age of three months ". We must also "wash your hands before and after contact with the baby (especially when changing, breastfeeding, bottle-feeding or eating)", and "wash toys and blankets regularly".
In addition, the health authorities advise to "avoid as much as possible family reunions, very crowded and closed places such as supermarkets, restaurants or public transport, especially if the child is less than three months old". Parents should also "wear a mask in case of a cold, cough or fever", and if other older children in the family show "symptoms of viral infection" they should be "kept away. from the baby to the acute phase of infection ".
It is also necessary to "ventilate the child's living space on a daily basis, in particular the bedroom", and "avoid entering a community (crèches, day care centers, etc.) before three months".
Finally, the ministry insists on the importance of "first vaccinations", so that the baby is "protected as quickly as possible from severe childhood infections".