Press Release - Flu Vaccination Rates Are Rising Again, but Coverage Among At-Risk Populations Remains Insufficient; Government Efforts Continue

In 2015–2016, for the first time since 2009, flu vaccination coverage began to rise again. 48.3% of those invited to get vaccinated received the flu vaccine, an increase of 2.2 percentage points over one ^year.¹ This increase applies to all categories of people invited to get vaccinated, including seniors and those with chronic illnesses. Despite this rise in the rate, vaccination coverage remains largely insufficient.

Every winter, seasonal influenza affects an average of 2.5 million people in France; its scale and severity are unpredictable. While the previous epidemic was relatively moderate in scale, it was nevertheless prolonged, and just over 1,100 people were admitted to intensive care. 77% of these severe flu cases involved vulnerable individuals, nearly three-quarters of whom were unvaccinated. 15% of these individuals died as a result of the flu³.

The flu vaccine remains the safest and most effective way to protect those most at risk^⁴: people aged 65 and older, certain individuals with chronic conditions, and pregnant women.

Vaccination reduces the severity of the flu and thus helps prevent a large number of hospitalizations. Santé publique France⁵ estimates that 2,000 deaths among seniors are prevented each year thanks to this vaccination. Higher vaccination coverage would further enhance this protective effect.

This year’s seasonal flu vaccination campaign runs from October 6, 2016, to January 31, 2017. To mark the occasion, the French Health Insurance System has sent a coverage voucher to more than 11 million at-risk individuals to encourage them to get vaccinated by picking up the vaccine for free at a pharmacy.

While flu vaccination offers a direct individual benefit, it also provides indirect herd immunity for the most vulnerable individuals (such as infants under 6 months of age with serious risk factors) through the vaccination of those around them. For these individuals (parents, siblings, etc.), the vaccine is also free.

This initiative will be supported by a new information campaign airing on France Télévisions group channels from October 7 to 30; it uses last year’s slogan: “Flu: to avoid hospitalization, get vaccinated.” This effort is complemented by a partnership with the regional press. Three educational articles aimed at combating misconceptions about the flu vaccine will be published in 62 regional newspapers. Additionally, everyone can support the effort by sharing on Twitter their commitment to stopping the flu virus using the hashtag #lagrippejedisnon.

Finally, to provide the best possible support to patients, all relevant healthcare professionals (doctors, midwives, pharmacists, nurses, etc.) were informed in advance of the public campaign through informational tools tailored to their needs, as well as through expert articles published in medical journals.