Monkeypox: “We must always take this type of epidemic seriously”, advice from Jean-François Bouscarain

Jean-François Bouscarain, président régional des infirmiers libéraux : “Le futur bilan de prévention permettra de flasher l'état de santé dans lequel on est”. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

Entretien avec le président régional des infirmiers libéraux, rattachés à l’Union régionale des professionnels de santé (URPS-Occitanie).

Should the Mpox epidemic be taken seriously ?

We must always take this type of epidemic seriously. Needless to say, we saw this clearly with the Covid-19 pandemic and the collateral damage it caused. As early as May 10, I alerted the health authorities about the risks for our region regarding the upcoming summer period. I then recalled the two concomitant human phenomena that we were going to experience: that of departures on vacation and the repercussions in terms of tourist population movements of the Paris Olympic Games.

That is to say ?

A study of airport departures from the major ports and airports of our two former regions are experiencing passenger volumes that have caught up with pre-Covid figures. The airports of Montpellier, Toulouse and the port of Sète were going to experience an exponential departure rate in the geographical areas in which diseases considered endemic in the countries concerned circulate this summer. At the same time, the Olympic Games concentrated in the Paris region will then see “the sporting pilgrims”, take an unparalleled tourist tour of France, passing through our region of course.

How to deal with it, particularly with the development of monkeypox across the world ?

As far as we are concerned, we need more vaccination centres, because that is the first response to provide. However, in Occitanie, we only have two travel vaccination centres, one in Montpellier and one in Toulouse. Indeed, Occitanie, like all regions, is not immune to the non-existent prevention of traveler's diseases and very limited access to centers specializing in traveler's diseases. It would therefore be necessary, a bit like for Covid-19, for us to have many more health professionals authorized to vaccinate.

What advice should be given to the general public in the face of the development of Mpox ?

The best care to give for all risks is prevention. And especially in the perspective of an autumn period during which viruses circulate. From the start of the school year, we will have the chance, in France, to be able to do a prevention assessment free of charge. Postponed due to the Olympic Games, the announcement of this new initiative should come fairly quickly. This is an important fact, since our country is very behind in this area, compared to other countries. What is it about? ? It should be seen as a bit like the technical inspection for the car. The assessment will allow us to sweep your vaccination, see where there has been no booster, your lifestyle. This is an opportunity to have a new roadmap for prevention.

How to mobilize the French in the face of potential epidemic risks ?

You should already know that we have access to an unprecedented level of prevention with this assessment that is coming. It is something that will be very quick to do, about ten minutes. To take the example of the technical inspection for cars, I would ask the question: would we imagine not doing it regularly, if only for the safety of our children? ? No. It is the same thing with health prevention. It is a common good to do it. Flash the state I am in. How to improve it ? How to even self-treat ? Once this assessment has been carried out, you then need to get vaccinated ?

Is there a vaccine against Mpox ?

Yes, there is. Two years ago, we had identified cases in the Paris region. Vaccines have been developed. You should not wait for the first symptoms, which are a high temperature, a rash and very visible all over the body.

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