According to Santé publique France Paca-Corse, the 2025–2026 flu season began early in
the Paca region, with moderate activity in urban areas but high activity in hospitals. Lasting 11
weeks, from early December 2025 to mid-February 2026, it was notably marked by a
significant number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

In hospitals, 12,000 flu-related emergency room visits were recorded, of which more
than 3,000 were followed by hospitalization. Hospitalizations primarily involved
people aged 65 and older, who accounted for 60% of all hospitalizations across all age
groups.

In urban areas, nearly 18,000 medical consultations for influenza or flu-like illness were recorded
by the region’s SOS Médecins associations during the epidemic phase, with
influenza accounting for up to 27% of their caseload at the peak of the epidemic.

Between September 30, 2025, and April 15, 2026, approximately 600 deaths in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region listed
influenza as a medical condition that directly caused or contributed to
the death (data from electronic death certificates extrapolated to the general population).
These deaths primarily involved individuals aged 85 or older (61% of all deaths
with influenza listed) followed by those aged 65 to 84 (34%).

The 2025–2026 influenza season was the second most severe hospital-based season of the past decade, following that of the previous year.

It was characterized by the co-circulation of the A(H1N1) and A(H3N2) viruses, with the latter being predominant during the epidemic phase.

• Read the regional report on the most recent season: Acute Respiratory Infections (influenza, bronchiolitis, COVID-19) in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. Report on the 2025–2026 season.

Vaccination Coverage Still Too Low

During the 2025–2026 flu season, according to Santé publique France Paca-Corse, flu vaccination coverage in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region remained insufficient among populations at risk of complications, with an overall rate of 45.1%.

This coverage reached 52.9% among people aged 65 and older and 25% among those under 65 at risk of severe influenza. In long-term care facilities (EHPADs), it stood at 80.42%, compared to 81.67% nationally.

Despite these results, a 2.7-point increase is observed compared to the 2024–2025 season for all target groups, reflecting an improvement in vaccination coverage.

However, vaccination coverage remains insufficient and is characterized by significant regional disparities. In this context, strengthening preventive measures and continuing to mobilize healthcare professionals are top priorities. This situation is reflected in particular by a high proportion of patients hospitalized for the flu among unvaccinated high-risk individuals.

According to Santé publique France Paca-Corse, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, vaccination coverage among patients at risk of complications admitted to intensive care for severe influenza was particularly low, at approximately 24%.

Thus, the 2025–2026 flu epidemic once again highlighted that the vast majority of people hospitalized, admitted to intensive care, and who died from the flu were high-risk individuals who should have been vaccinated but were not.

Who is most at risk?

• People aged 65 and older;
• people under 65, including children as young as 6 months, with certain chronic conditions;
• pregnant women;
• people who are obese: body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher;
• people residing in a long-term care facility or a medical-social residential facility, regardless of their age.

Priority groups and healthcare professionals are the focus of this campaign

People at the highest risk of developing severe influenza have received an invitation from the Health Insurance program to get vaccinated. For these priority groups, the cost of the vaccine is fully covered.

Alongside this invitation, a personalized information campaign will be rolled out to primary care physicians in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region who have more than 10 patients eligible for the flu vaccine and a valid email address. These communications will include, in particular, a vaccination profile of their patient population and will take place in two phases:

• October 12, 2026: An initial letter was sent to 4,000 eligible physicians to present the results of the previous vaccination campaign;
• early December 2026: A second personalized letter will allow them to track changes in their patients’ vaccination coverage since the launch of the current campaign.

In addition, vaccination is also strongly recommended for healthcare professionals as well as for those who are regularly in contact with particularly vulnerable individuals, including the elderly, infants, and people with chronic illnesses.

To learn more: check out the joint interview with Dr. D’Alessandro, a physician at the vaccination centers in Arles and Salon-de-Provence, and Dr. Julien Bouvenot, a medical advisor at the Health Insurance Agency.

Who can administer the vaccine?

Several healthcare professionals are authorized to administer vaccines to the public, including doctors, pharmacists, midwives, and nurses. 

They play an essential role in raising public awareness, prescribing, and administering vaccines. Their involvement helps facilitate access to vaccination for eligible groups and improve vaccination coverage at the regional level.

In 2025–2026, 65% of flu vaccinations were administered in pharmacies, confirming the growing role of pharmacists in vaccination.

Vaccination: A Simple Step to Protect Yourself and the Most Vulnerable

As viruses circulate during the winter months, vaccination remains the most effective way to reduce the risk of developing a severe case of the flu.

The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Regional Health Agency, the Health Insurance program, and Santé publique France Paca-Corse, therefore encourage those who are eligible—and in particular those who did not get vaccinated last year—to make an appointment with a healthcare professional right away.