“It’s a big advantage to do both at the same time”

The seasonal flu vaccination campaign, which deals with people over 65 and those with certain pathologies, began on Friday in a health context still complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

If barrier gestures have made it possible for a year to stop the spread of the flu, the seasonal virus is making a comeback. The vaccination campaign was started four days ago on Friday. Ali Zahid, a pharmacist who works in Château-Malabry (Hautes-de-Seine), counts his doses, stored in small boxes, inside a refrigerated cabinet.

Here we have the flu vaccines on the one hand, and also the covid vaccines for the doses we got recently“, he describes. At his dispensary, candidates for vaccination against influenza are starting to flow.

With a reserve of 600 doses, the pharmacy has what to do at the moment, but it is also necessary to administer the vaccination against Covid. Therefore the establishment offers a double injection. “The patient can come for two vaccines, for covid and for flu, through an organization and an appointment that will be given to him”, explains Ali Zahid.

“It’s not just covid that kills”

The eligibility criteria for the third dose of Pfizer and influenza vaccines are the same: for example, be over 65 years of age. Double injection is also recommended for vaccination centers. “It is important to get a flu shot Moshé Nataf, on duty at a center in Sarcelles (Val-d’Oise), stresses AP-HP interns. It is a virus that kills, it kills at least between 8,000 and 15,000 every year. It is not just covid that kills.

Even if you are vaccinated against the flu, you can get covid soon afterwards. And even if you are vaccinated against Covid, you can still get the flu.

Roland Pariente, intern AP-HP

Even if you have been vaccinated against the flu, you can get covid right after, Explains AP-HP intern Roland Pariente, who is also on duty at Sarcelles. And even if you are vaccinated against Covid, you can still get the flu. That’s why it’s so important. Doing both at the same time is a big advantage, you reduce the risk.

With the relaxation of barrier gestures, winter diseases are back. Health officials fear seeing Covid-19 and flu coexist this year. Seasonal influenza vaccine stocks are up 17%. Note that general practitioners can also administer the vaccine.

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