The flu and the Covid punctuate this winter in France. Faced with this double epidemic, questions emerge. In particular that of knowing if, in the event of infection with the flu, we are more protected once morest the coronavirus. Lighting.
Covid, flu, bronchiolitis… This winter, our immune system is put to the test and the antibodies are out. The incidence rate of consultations for flu-like illness increased by 118% in seven days, indicates Public Health France. “This trend was observed in all age groups but was more marked among 5-14 year olds”, specifies the bulletin. A worrying situation, since all regions of France are in an epidemic situation.
As for the Covid epidemic, the current wave seems to have peaked. For several days, the daily number of new cases has been systematically falling. Can we consider that in the event of a recent flu infection, we are better protected once morest the coronavirus?
Different antibodies depending on the disease
As explained by Yannick Simonin, virologist and teacher-researcher at the University of Montpellier in West France, “the antibodies that we produce in response to the flu are really specific antibodies”. “If you are infected with the flu, you will not be more protected once morest Covid and vice versahe summarizes with our colleagues.
The Montpellier virologist points out, however, that recent studies suggest that “following infection with Covid, with the flu or with viruses responsible for colds, we have this interferon response which might protect us from another virus attacking it. also to the respiratory system.
Hypotheses considered in laboratories suggest that this interference might be sufficient to reduce infection by another respiratory virus quite strongly over a period of a few weeks, or even a few months.
