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6 clusters · 20 sources · 17 days · First seen · Last updated

France launches joint influenza and COVID-19 campaign

Overview

France has launched its annual joint influenza and COVID-19 vaccination campaign for the 2026-2027 season, which officially began in mainland France on October 13, 2026. The campaign is scheduled to run through January 31, 2027, targeting vulnerable groups including seniors, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic illnesses or immunodeficiencies.

To bolster coverage, 15 million influenza vaccine doses are available this season, an increase of approximately one million compared to the previous year. Recommended vaccines for seniors include Sanofi’s Efluelda and Seqirus’s Fluad. To improve accessibility, medical professionals such as doctors, pharmacists, and midwives are now permitted to stock vaccines directly in their practices.

Public health officials are addressing significant challenges, including vaccine hesitancy; data from Santé publique France indicates that 36.7% of adults aged 18 to 79 express distrust toward certain vaccinations. Additionally, while the campaign is underway, authorities are preparing regulatory frameworks for a potential annual vaccination mandate for healthcare professionals, expected to be finalized by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

This rollout follows a heavy 2025-2026 season that saw approximately 115,000 emergency room visits for flu-like symptoms and 12,140 excess deaths. Amidst these efforts, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist has considered advancing the start date for the next COVID-19 vaccination campaign due to rising emergency admissions and low vaccination rates among nursing home residents over age 80. A national information campaign by the National Health Insurance is set to launch on October 17 to raise awareness.

Entities

Santé publique France · France · Haute Autorité de Santé · Stéphanie Rist · Inserm

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 5 sources
    France launches annual influenza and Covid-19 vaccination campaign

    France has launched its 2026-2027 influenza and Covid-19 vaccination campaign, targeting vulnerable groups and increasing vaccine availability to 15 million doses to improve public health protection.

  2. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    France to launch seasonal flu vaccination campaign on October 13

    France will launch its seasonal flu vaccination campaign on October 13, 2026. Health officials are also considering an earlier start for COVID-19 vaccinations due to rising emergency admissions.

  3. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    French Ministry of Health maintains October vaccination schedule

    The French Ministry of Health will maintain the October 13 start date for Covid-19 and flu vaccinations, stating that current virus circulation levels do not necessitate an earlier campaign.

  4. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    France updates influenza vaccination rules and prescription requirements

    France introduces mandatory prescriptions for all flu vaccines for the 2026-2027 season. Meanwhile, health authorities debate legal vaccination obligations for nursing home staff.

  5. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    France to launch joint flu and COVID-19 vaccination campaign

    France will launch a joint flu and COVID-19 vaccination campaign on October 13, 2026, targeting seniors with reinforced vaccines, though pharmacist unions warn of potential syringe shortages.

  6. [HEALTH] 5 sources
    France to launch joint flu and Covid-19 vaccination campaign on October 13

    France will launch its joint flu and Covid-19 vaccination campaign on October 13, 2026, targeting vulnerable groups and healthcare workers amid rising infection rates.

Sources

actu.fr · cftc-santesociaux.fr · e-sante.fr · estrepublicain.fr · information-dentaire.fr · information.tv5monde.com · lapetiteclaudine.com · lavenirdelartois.fr · ledauphine.com · lejsl.com · lepharmaciendefrance.fr · letribunaldunet.fr · midilibre.fr · nicematin.com · planet.fr · presse.inserm.fr · santemagazine.fr · sixactualites.fr · votre-actualite.com · world-today-journal.com

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history