Overview
- All mainland regions except Corsica are in the influenza epidemic phase, with circulation accelerating, according to public health bulletins.
- Assurance Maladie sent targeted SMS messages between December 10 and 12 to at‑risk patients and parents of vulnerable children to prompt immediate vaccination.
- Uptake is higher than last season, with about 18 million people vaccinated and more than 10.3 million doses sold via pharmacies; roughly 1.7 million doses remain in pharmacies and 0.5–1 million with manufacturers.
- Circulation is dominated by influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2), including an H3N2 “variant K,” and early data from the southern hemisphere and the UK indicate the vaccine still protects well against severe disease.
- Full protection develops about two weeks after the shot, authorities advise prioritizing vulnerable groups, and coadministration with the COVID‑19 vaccine is permitted.