As every year for the last 13 years, you can contribute to the surveillance of acute respiratory infection epidemics – including influenza and Covid-19 – by taking part in the GrippeNet.fr/COVIDnet.fr study. You don’t have to be sick to participate: simply register anonymously with an email address and fill out a 1- to 5-minute questionnaire online once a week.
The study GrippeNet.fr/CovidNet.fr has just been relaunched to enable respiratory infection surveillance in the winter of 2023-2024. The project, launched in 2012 by Inserm, the Sorbonne University and Public Health France to monitor the evolution of influenza epidemics, was adapted in 2020 to also allow monitoring of Covid-19.
The aim of this study is to collect epidemiological data on respiratory infections directly from the population living in mainland France for surveillance and research purposes. These data make it possible to complement data from traditional surveillance systems, in particular by providing information on people who do not seek health services when symptoms appear.
This project also allows the implementation of epidemiological studies on various topics (vaccination, care utilization, mental health, tick bites, long Covid, etc.) offered to participants.
How can I participate?
All people residing in mainland France can participate in the study anonymously and voluntarily, regardless of their health status. For that, just go there www.grippenet.fr and register with an email address.
After completing a registration questionnaire and a second vaccination status questionnaire, participants will be asked each week to complete a form summarizing symptoms experienced or not experienced since their last contact (no symptoms, fever, cough, etc.). This weekly participation is free and lasts between 1 and 5 minutes. In return, participants will be informed of the results of the study and will receive weekly updates on the respiratory infection situation in France.
A look back at the 2022-2023 season
Last winter, 5,694 people took part in GrippeNet.fr/COVIDnet.fr, including the majority of women (58%) and people with an education level above high school (71%).
More than one in five participants (21.8%) experienced symptoms suggestive of an acute respiratory infection at least once. The data collected shows a clear peak in late 2022 (week 50), then a gradual decline with a second, less pronounced peak in early 2023 (week 5): an observation consistent with those of other monitoring networks.
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