People at risk will be able to receive the injection against Covid-19 and the flu at the same time.
A new flu vaccination campaign begins on Tuesday October 17, after a 2022-2023 season marked by a particularly virulent triple epidemic of influenza-Covid-19-bronchiolitis. Thus, the flu alone killed 1,505 people between November 2022 and April 2023, according to a study published by Public Health France on Tuesday. This flu epidemic, described as “early and exceptionally long”because “strong tensions on the provision of care and high excess mortality”notes the public health agency, which is keen to “recall the importance of prevention, particularly through influenza vaccination in people at risk”. Franceinfo answers five questions regarding this new vaccination campaign.
1 How big is the flu epidemic?
For the moment, the epidemic phase has not started in France, according to the epidemic bulletin that Public Health France published on Wednesday, even if it started in Reunion. The public health agency specifies that“after a first epidemic wave observed in June-July 2023, a second wave of circulation of influenza viruses is observed since the end of August in Reunion.”
The flu affects between two and six million people each year and causes numerous deaths, particularly among vulnerable people, according to Health Insurance. Thus, in addition to the 1,505 deaths recorded by Public Health France, 110,918 visits to the emergency room for influenza or influenza-like illness were recorded between November 2022 and April 2023, i.e. the “highest value since the 2017-2018 season”. Among these visits to the emergency room, 14% resulted in hospitalization, the majority concerning people over 65 years old (54%).
2 Who is affected by this campaign?
The people most encouraged to be vaccinated are those presenting the greatest risk. In other words those aged 65 and over, those aged 6 months to 65 years suffering from certain chronic illnesses, pregnant women, people suffering from obesity and people staying in a follow-up care establishment or in a medical establishment. -social accommodation regardless of their age, lists Health Insurance.
Social Security also recommends that those close to people at risk be vaccinated. These include health professionals and any professional in regular and prolonged contact with people at risk and home help from vulnerable employers. Health Insurance also encourages vaccination for relatives of infants under 6 months of age at risk of serious complications and immunocompromised people.
Finally, starting this year, vaccination can be offered to children aged 2 to 17, without comorbidity. Note that Social Security recommends an injection for professionals exposed to swine and avian influenza viruses. “to prevent the transmission of human influenza viruses to animals”.
3 Who can carry out the vaccination?
As with previous campaigns, it is possible to be vaccinated by your doctor. From now on, other health professionals can also perform this injection, such as community pharmacists, midwives and nurses, specifies Health Insurance.
However, only doctors and midwives can vaccinate all patients. Restrictions apply to nurses and community pharmacists, who can only give an injection to people aged 11 and over (including those who are not targeted by vaccination recommendations). For their part, nurses can vaccinate children under the age of 11, but only on medical prescription, explains Social Security.
4 Can we be vaccinated at the same time against Covid-19?
From Tuesday, it will be possible to be vaccinated against both the flu and Covid-19 at the same time, “as long as a person is eligible for both vaccinations”, notes Health Insurance. And “if it is not possible to carry them out at the same time, no delay is necessary between these two vaccinations”, adds this same source. To note that “injections must be performed at two different injection sites”i.e. two different arms, specifies the High Authority of Health in its June recommendations (PDF).
> > Covid-19: six questions about the new vaccination campaign which begins on October 2
Initially, the anti-Covid-19 vaccination was to be carried out at the same time as that against the flu, from October 17. Due to the early resumption of the circulation of the virus at the start of the school year, the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 was brought forward to October 2. But not that of the flu.
5 With which vaccine?
In total, four vaccines are available for this vaccination campaign, which will last until January 31, 2024. Three types of vaccines may be prescribed for all eligible patients (from the age of 6 months), according to the recommendations of the HAS: Fluarix Tetra, Vaxigrip Tetra and Influvac Tetra. Only the Efluelda vaccine is reserved for people aged 65 and over.