the flu vaccination campaign is extended until the end of February

In France, all regions are currently affected by the epidemic. To deal with this significant circulation of the virus, the health authorities wish to continue the vaccination campaign.

The seasonal flu vaccination campaign is extended by one month. Tuesday January 30, all French regions are currently affected by the epidemic. In a context of high circulation of various respiratory viruses, the health authorities have chosen to extend the vaccination campaign until February 29.

People at risk who are aged 65 and over or suffering from a heart, respiratory or liver condition, obesity as well as pregnant women therefore have an additional month to benefit from this injection covered by Health Insurance. Be careful not to delay too much, because the protective effect of the vaccine only appears after 15 days. According to the latest report from Public Health France, all regions have now exceeded the epidemic threshold, including Brittany and Normandy which still escaped it until last week.

How effective is the vaccine?

The A/H1N1 type influenza strain, which is currently circulating in the majority, is found in the seasonal vaccine, so this is rather good news. But vaccination is far from being an absolute shield because remember that the effectiveness rate of the seasonal vaccine varies from only 40 to 60% depending on the age groups and the strains in circulation. Even if vaccination does not always prevent the flu, it has the merit of reducing the risk of serious complications or death. According to estimates from the Ministry of Health, it thus makes it possible to avoid around 2,000 deaths each year among people aged 65 and over.

Under no circumstances can the vaccine cause influenza because it is composed of inactivated fractions of influenza viruses. It does not contain any living germs. For the years to come, research will attempt to develop even more protective vaccines, based on messenger RNA. Quicker to manufacture, they should make it possible to better adapt to the emergence of new strains of virus just before the fall, and therefore to gain in efficiency. The Sanofi, Pfizer, and Moderna laboratories are working on this RNA vaccine project against influenza. Technically, it is not that simple to develop, you will have to wait one or two years to benefit from it.