Influenza vaccination: slight improvement with 5.7 million vaccinated

Written by Sandeep Nehra

5.7 million people were vaccinated at the invitation of health insurance, 200,000 more than in the previous balance sheet, said on Monday the insurance.

At 15 December, 5.7 million people had been vaccinated against 5.5 million on 1 December.

The health insurance has prompted 12.5 million people suffering from various ailments (asthma, diabetes, respiratory or cardiac failure, severe chronic bronchitis) or aged 65 or over, to get vaccinated against seasonal influenza by issuing a voucher to get free vaccine in drugstore.

The entourage of infants under 6 months with risk factors (prématurés. ..) is also included in the list of persons to be vaccinated.

In addition, pregnant women and obese people are now officially part of the categories for which influenza vaccination is recommended, according to the Directorate General of Health (DGS, health department).

Vaccination is also recommended to health professionals in regular contact with persons at risk for serious flu.

“The influenza epidemic begins. There is still time to get vaccinated,” recalled the DGS in late 2010.

A total of 25 serious cases (including 6 deaths) was recorded in France, according to the Institut de Veille Sanitaire (INVS). At the meeting, where the epidemic is over, 13 serious cases, including 6 deaths, were recorded. In both assessments French, as in other countries, and obese pregnant women are among the serious cases admitted to intensive care.

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