The annual flu vaccination campaign is now open in France, urging vulnerable people to be vaccinated against flu and Covid this winter.
The national seasonal flu and Covid vaccination campaign begins today (Tuesday, October 14) and will last until January 31, 2026.
Where are the illnesses spreading fastest?
Both viruses - the flu and Covid-19 - are beginning to spread across France, said health authority Santé publique France (SPF), citing the number of consultations recorded for each.
Illness indicators are at their “base level” still, it said, but we have “some sporadic cases, as is always seen at this time of year”.
Flu cases are growing particularly quickly in the regions of:
Grand Est, particularly Haute-Marne (1,353 cases per 100,000 residents)
Ile-de-France
Nouvelle-Aquitaine, particularly Haute-Vienne (1,341 cases per 100,000 residents)
Only 12 mainland departments have recorded zero emergency hospital admissions for flu so far this season. They are:
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Ariège
Aube
Cantal
Creuse
Dordogne
Gers
Haute-Loire
Indre-et-Loire
Lot
Lozère
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Why is vaccination especially recommended this year?
Vaccination is considered one of the best forms of protection against severe forms of flu and Covid-19, which can be particularly dangerous and life-threatening for vulnerable people.
Vaccination is recommended for anyone who is able to have it, because widespread coverage not only protects the vaccinated person but also those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons. It also protects the operation of hospitals, as the admission of too many people with flu or Covid can quickly overwhelm health systems and cause delays to all forms of healthcare.
This year, vaccination is urged more than usual, because health authorities are keen to avoid a repeat of last year’s particularly severe flu season.
“The peak observed in hospitals in the first week of 2025 [due to flu] had almost never [been] reached,” said Caroline Semaille, SPF director general, to the AFP.
She said that many people who were vaccinated in France last year did so “too late”, leading to a “severe” and “longer-than-average” epidemic.
There were almost three million consultations, 30,000 hospitalisations, and excess mortality of more than 17,000 deaths from epidemic-related causes over the season last year, warned SPF in its latest bulletin.
Vaccination coverage among at-risk groups was estimated to be just “53.7% among those aged 65 and over, and 25.3% among those under 65 at risk,” said the Assurance Maladie. This is far below the 75% target set for these groups by the World Health Organization.
Who should get vaccinated?
Anyone in a vulnerable group at risk of developing a severe form of illness is particularly urged to get both vaccinations, Assurance Maladie said to the AFP. This includes:
People aged 65 and over
Pregnant women
Immunodepressed people
People undergoing treatment for cancer
People with other chronic conditions including high blood pressure, or diabetes
People who work with any of the above are also affected, as are residents and workers in elderly care homes (Ehpad).
In addition, those with mental health conditions, dementia, and Down syndrome are particularly urged to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as well as flu, said the Assurance Maladie.
This year for the first time, infants under six months old are also recommended to have the flu vaccine, as are people who may be exposed to bird or pig flu, “to avoid the spread of human flu to animals”, the health authority stated.
“Concurrent vaccination [both flu and Covid] is recommended for anyone eligible at any age,” said the Prime Minister’s office in a press release.
How much does vaccination cost?
Those in vulnerable groups can receive both vaccinations for free (100% reimbursed by the Assurance Maladie). These people should have received a letter with a voucher (‘bon de prise en charge’) entitling them to free vaccination.
Anyone who has not received this in a letter to their home but believes they should be entitled to free vaccination can ask for a free voucher from their doctor, midwife, nurse, or pharmacist. You can read more on how to do that here.
Those not considered to be in a vulnerable group can get the flu vaccine reimbursed up to 65%, and the Covid vaccine for free. Children aged two to 17 will receive the vaccine at 65% coverage from Assurance Maladie.
Otherwise, the vaccines can be bought at pharmacies and then administered by healthcare professionals. The cost of the vaccine is around €6, and the price of the vaccination depends on where you book an appointment. In this case, neither the vaccine nor vaccination appointment are reimbursed.
How do I get vaccinated?
Once you have a voucher or prescription, you can take it to your doctor, midwife, nurse, or pharmacist and receive one or both vaccines. You can also receive a partially-reimbursed vaccine from these professionals, even if you are not entitled to a 100% free one.
You need to make an appointment to receive the vaccine, either at a GP, pharmacy, or with a midwife. If you are entitled to free vaccination, you must present the voucher alongside your carte Vitale, and the appointment and vaccines will be fully reimbursed afterwards.
You can only get the Covid vaccine if a period of six months or more has passed since your last Covid vaccine or infection, said the Assurance Maladie (three months for those in vulnerable groups).
If you are receiving both vaccines at the same time, it is recommended to get one in each arm (as opposed to both in the same arm).
Which vaccines are being used?
Every year, the vaccines are updated to ensure that they are as adapted as possible to the latest strains of illness. This year, five flu vaccines are being used, the Direction Générale de la Santé has confirmed.
They are:
Efluelda and Fluad: Particularly recommended for the elderly
Vaxigrip and Influvac: Recommended for adults, and children aged six months and older
Flucelvax: Recommended for anyone over the age of two
All five offer effective protection against the dominant flu strains this year.
Three Covid vaccines produced by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, called Comirnaty, will be used.
All vaccines used are approved for use by the European Medicines Agency, and are the latest available to offer optimal protection against the most recent strains of the illnesses.
