The covid vaccination campaign opens soon for the 2024-2025 winter season. Here are the recommended audiences, the date, and how it works this year.
Covid still exists and, while autumn has started, it is one of the risks of winter. From now on, like the seasonal flu, there is a vaccination campaign. Both are also carried out at the same time. Here’s what you need to know.
When does the covid vaccine open?
The 2024 coronavirus vaccination campaign opens Tuesday October 15 (in mainland France, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, but from October 10 in Mayotte).
Who should be vaccinated against covid in 2024?
Vaccination against covid is not obligatory, but strongly recommended, in particular for certain profiles:
- People aged 65 and over;
- People with comorbidities, who are at risk of contracting a more serious form of the disease (among comorbidities: complicated arterial hypertension, heart, vascular, hepatic, kidney, pulmonary problems, diabetes, obesity, cancers, transplant recipients, people with Down syndrome 21 or psychiatric disorders or dementia). This category includes infants from 6 months, children, adolescents and adults;
- Immunocompromised people;
- Pregnant women;
- Residents in accommodation establishments for dependent elderly people (Ehpad) and long-term care units (USLD);
- People ” at very high risk of serious form depending on each individual medical situation and as part of a decision shared with the healthcare teams » ;
- People living in “ those around you or in regular contact with immunocompromised or vulnerable people », which also concerns professionals in the health and medico-social sectors.
Note that even outside of this list, everyone can benefit from the covid vaccine, which is covered in all cases.
The flu vaccine with the covid vaccine?
The flu vaccination campaign opens the same day. It is possible to get vaccinated against the flu at the same time; at two different injection sites.
How many injections are there?
Only one dose (or “injection”) is needed to get vaccinated against covid.
Which vaccine for which variant?
For this campaign, it is the messenger RNA vaccine called Comirnaty JN1, developed by Pfizer/BioNTech.
It is adapted to the JN.1 covid variant, currently dominant in France as in the majority of the world. It is true, however, that it is rather the XEC variant which has been in the news lately. This appears to be the next dominant variant. But it remains relatively close to the JN.1 variant, which means that the current vaccine can protect the body in the event of an encounter with this new variant.
Where to get vaccinated against covid?
Vaccination is organized internally for EPHADs and hospital patients.
For others, this happens in particular with general practitioners and pharmacies. You can find the list of places where vaccination is possible on the Sante.fr website (when the campaign opens).
