Due to the risk of simultaneous circulation of the influenza virus and Covid-19, the demand for the influenza vaccine is expected to be much higher this year than in previous years.

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M.Libert / 20 Minutes

  • From this Tuesday, people at risk are invited to be vaccinated against seasonal flu, as the national vaccination campaign opens.

  • The Minister of Health calls for the most vulnerable people and caregivers to be vaccinated as a priority, but the demand for the vaccine among healthy people is expected to be much greater than in previous years, as France goes beyond simultaneous circulation of the influenza virus and Covid-19.

  • What raise fears of shortage of influenza vaccine.

Will there be something for everyone?

As the national seasonal flu vaccination campaign begins this Tuesday, the Academy of Medicine, pediatric learned societies and health authorities are calling on people at risk, who are most severely affected by severe forms of Covid-19 , to be massively vaccinated against the flu.

The government has planned 15 million doses of vaccine for this unprecedented campaign, during which demand is likely to explode in the face of fear of contracting both the flu and the coronavirus.

However, too much demand could lead to stock shortages.

So who to vaccinate first?

How to ensure sufficient stocks and avoid shortages and psychosis?

Priority to people at risk

This year, 16 million people at risk are invited to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu.

And in practice, the vaccine is recommended and reserved primarily for people over 65, those suffering from chronic pathologies (respiratory failure, heart failure, diabetes, renal failure, asthma, obstructive pulmonary disease, etc.) and those with morbid obesity ( body mass index greater than 40).

"Pregnant women, those close to infants under 6 months at risk and immunocompromised people are also a priority for the vaccine", adds Vincent Enouf, researcher and deputy director of the National Reference Center (CNR) for respiratory viruses (including influenza) from the Institut Pasteur.

“Caregivers, who by definition are in contact with people at risk, are also considered a priority, they must be vaccinated more, adds Vincent Enouf.

Both to ensure the continuity of their activity and to protect their vulnerable patients ”.

In a letter of August 20 addressed to the National Order of Pharmacists, the Directorate General of Health asked pharmacies to reserve influenza vaccines only for populations at risk, at least until November 30.

An instruction recalled this Tuesday by the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, in a message posted on Twitter: "Elderly and fragile people, caregivers of health establishments, of the city or EHPAD, you are priority for vaccination" against influenza .

The flu vaccination campaign begins on October 13.



Elderly and fragile people, caregivers of health establishments, the city or EHPAD, you are a priority for vaccination. @ Ameli_actu @MinSoliSante https://t.co/rjMR0lO39l

- Olivier Véran (@olivierveran) October 13, 2020

Relieve congestion in hospitals and facilitate diagnosis

For France Assos Santé, an association which represents patients and users of the health system, it is necessary to ensure "sufficient vaccination coverage", otherwise "many patients with severe forms of influenza may no longer find a place in hospitals. ".

In addition, “a broad vaccination against influenza will make it possible to make a diagnosis more quickly, estimates Vincent Enouf.

Since the symptomatology of influenza and Covid-19 are almost identical, if a vaccinated patient presents symptoms, the doctor will more easily establish the diagnosis of the coronavirus and prescribe him to isolate himself at home if his condition allows it.

This will save time and relieve congestion in hospitals ”.

Because what the health authorities want to avoid is a simultaneous circulation of the two viruses which would paralyze the health system and clog hospitals.

Especially since cases of coronavirus and flu co-infections have been reported in several countries.

But for now, we do not know how virulent the flu epidemic will be this winter.

"We observed this summer in the southern hemisphere, during the southern winter, that no flu epidemic broke out," says Vincent Enouf.

A phenomenon that can be explained by a possible competition between the two viruses: the flu circulated much less at a time when the coronavirus was present.

But this is also the effect of barrier measures, which have been widely observed in France in recent months, and we know that this has the effect of greatly reducing the spread of viral diseases.

There have been very few cases of viral meningitis and other viruses in recent months.

We are seeing a big change in viral ecology ”.

Risks of tensions in supply?

However, we must all the same prepare for the arrival of the flu in France.

While the government has ordered 15 million doses of vaccine, laboratories are trying to keep pace.

Sanofi has indicated that it has increased its production of influenza vaccine by 20%.

"We anticipated fairly quickly that the concomitance between seasonal flu and Covid-19 would be a problem," Olivier Bogillot, president of Sanofi France, said on Monday.

(…) The factories producing influenza vaccine are working seven days a week at the moment ”.

Because in France as everywhere in the world, "most States said to themselves that we would need more vaccines," he emphasizes.

Afterwards, are we going to distribute more, what is the reality of the vaccination rate that we are going to have?

It's very difficult to know ”.

So, should we fear a vaccine shortage in the coming weeks?

"It is all the more difficult to project that in normal times, each year, some of the people at risk who should be vaccinated do not do so, notes Vincent Enouf.

About 60% of them are vaccinated against influenza, which leaves 7 to 8 million doses of vaccine that are not used, but assessing the demand today is quite difficult ”.

For its part, the government has taken steps to avoid the risk of shortages.

"For the first time, in addition to orders from pharmacies, we have secured state orders and we have 30% more vaccine doses than in previous years", assured Olivier Véran during a hearing at the Senate September 24.

But in practice, stocks are 15 million doses for 16 million people at risk.

And the number of healthy people wanting to get their flu shot this year is expected to explode.

"Someone who goes to see his parents in nursing homes or who has an asthmatic child has every interest in being vaccinated to protect his loved ones, notes Gilles Bonnefond, president of the Union of trade unions of pharmacists and pharmacists in Montélimar.

Because if the Minister of Health calls on pharmacists to deliver the vaccine as a priority to people at risk, it is however possible to obtain it freely, without a prescription ”.

In this context, if the National Academy of Pharmacy recalls the need for vaccination, it warns against "a psychosis which could, via too much demand, lead to ruptures".

"If you have a voucher, get vaccinated without delay"

In pharmacies, authorized to vaccinate against influenza, pharmacists are ready.

"Today we have 20% more stocks than last year, and the State is building up a reserve stock to avoid a shortage this winter, or a total of 30% more doses", reassures Gilles Bonnefond.

And volunteers to get vaccinated are not long in coming.

“We already have patients who come to us with their vaccination vouchers, and that's a very good thing.

They can then be vaccinated by their pharmacist, doctor or nurse, ”explains Gilles Bonnefond.

And if the pharmacist has any advice for you, it's: “if you have a voucher, get vaccinated right away.

Since there is a risk of circulation of two viruses - influenza and Covid-19 - but only one vaccine, so we must protect ourselves without waiting from the flu ”.

Every winter, seasonal flu affects 2 to 6 million French people and causes a large number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

And it is responsible for 8,000 to 14,500 deaths, the vast majority of which in people at risk.

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The flu vaccination campaign begins this Tuesday

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