Overview

• France’s national campaign begins Tuesday targeting older adults, pregnant people, those with chronic conditions or obesity, and residents of care homes.
• Health authorities encourage co-administration of influenza and Covid-19 vaccines, which can be provided by doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and midwives.
• Flu shots are free for nearly 19 million eligible people in metropolitan France, while Covid-19 vaccination remains free for everyone.
• For the first time, older adults are directed to enhanced flu vaccines Efluelda (Sanofi) and Fluad (Seqirus), and the Covid-19 shot in use is Pfizer’s Comirnaty.
• Officials point to declining vaccination coverage since the pandemic and report more than 17,000 flu-related deaths last season, according to Santé publique France.