Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination campaign kicks off on 15 October

In a information note on August 7, 2024, the Ministry of Health details the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccination campaign for at-risk target populations. It starts on October 15, 2024 in mainland France, Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana; it has already started since September 10, 2024 in Mayotte.

Who is affected by influenza vaccination?

The people targeted by the flu vaccination campaign are:

• persons aged 65 years and over;
• people under 65 with certain chronic diseases (including children from 6 months of age);
• pregnant women;
• people suffering from obesity;
• people staying in a residential care facility or in a nursing home, regardless of age.

For COVID-19 vaccination, patients with dementia or trisomy 21 are added to this list.

Vaccination against the 2 diseases is also recommended for those around these vulnerable people, as well as for professionals in the medical and social sectors.

See the list of persons for whom vaccination is recommended in the vaccination schedule (pages 11 and 16) published by the Ministry of Health and Prevention.

Practical conditions for influenza vaccination according to profiles

The vaccine is 100% care for at-risk populations. Emails are sent to affected individuals with a influenza vaccination certificate allowing free delivery of the vaccine.

Several cases may occur:

• You are over 11 years of age and are eligible for vaccination. You will benefit from a simplified procedure and receive at your home a care voucher in order to withdraw your vaccine directly from the pharmacist, on presentation of this voucher and your Vitale card. You can be vaccinated by the professional of your choice: doctor, midwife, nurse or pharmacist.
• You're under 11. You must have a medical prescription for your child to remove the vaccine from the pharmacy and have it vaccinated by a nurse. This prescription is written directly by the doctor or midwife on the care voucher sent by the health insurance or printed by the health professional. Vaccination may be given by a doctor, midwife, or nurse (on medical prescription), but not by a pharmacist.
• You have children from 6 months to 17 years of age with a chronic illness that is at risk of severe flu. You receive a Health Insurance Coverage Voucher. The vaccine is 100% supported.
• You have children aged 2 to 17 years without chronic disease (without comorbidities). Vaccination by the healthcare professional following your child may be offered. The vaccine is 65% covered by the Health Insurance. You do not receive a Health Insurance Coverage Voucher. The professional who offers the vaccination prints a specific treatment voucher. You can pick up the vaccine in a pharmacy on presentation of this voucher and the Vitale card.

Vaccination is recommended prior to active circulation of influenza viruses. After vaccination, the body needs 2 weeks to form the necessary antibodies.