The flu shot is reserved for frail people until November 15. The campaign is to last until January 31, 2023. The virus affects 2 to 6 million people every year in France.
Autumn marks the return of influenza, and therefore of vaccines against this virus. The vaccination campaign for this season opens this Tuesday, October 18 and must last until January 31, 2023. Who is it? Where to get vaccinated? Here’s what you need to know to get vaccinated against the flu virus.
• The risks of influenza
According to health insurance, 2 to 6 million people are affected by the flu every year. “This is a very contagious disease that can be serious, especially in frail people,” notes the organization on his site. High fever, severe fatigue, headache, body aches, and dry cough are symptoms of the flu.
It can therefore lead to complications, such as pneumonia or the aggravation of an already existing chronic disease (diabetes, heart or respiratory failure, etc.)
The virus is transmitted by the projection of droplets emitted during the coughing or sneezing of infected people or through the hands and objects contaminated by these droplets.
“After a 2020-2021 winter without an influenza epidemic due in particular to measures to control the Covid-19 epidemic (barrier gestures, confinement)”, the epidemic was “exceptionally long” during the winter of 2021 -2022, according to Health Insurance.
• The people concerned
Vaccines are reserved for frail people until November 15. The list of interested persons is the following:
- People aged 65 and over
- Children and adults under 65 with certain chronic conditions
- Pregnant women
- People with obesity
- Circle of children under 6 months at risk (who cannot be vaccinated) and immunocompromised people;
- Health professionals and professionals of the medical-social structures in contact with patients at risk;
- Home care for vulnerable individual employers;
- Professionals exposed to swine and avian influenza viruses, first targeted as part of the 2022-2023 campaign
The vaccine is fully reimbursed by the Health Insurance for people at risk and costs between 6 and 10 euros for others.
• Where to get vaccinated
Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and midwives are authorized to administer the vaccine. People at risk receive a vaccination voucher from their health insurance fund which they must present at the pharmacy to receive the dose, before being vaccinated by the healthcare professional of their choice.
For organizational and logistical reasons, the High Health Authority also recommends combining the injection of the flu vaccine with the booster of the vaccine against Covid-19, for those concerned (over 60, residents in retirement homes, people at risk of a disease severe illness, etc.)
In this setup, you must take your flu shot to the designated Covid vaccination location and receive an injection in each arm.
It takes fifteen days to benefit from the protection afforded by the vaccine, according to the government.
