In France, the flu epidemic has been increasing since the beginning of 2025 and a peak is expected within “ten days”, according to the Minister responsible for Health, Yannick Neuder, a guest on BFMTV this Tuesday, January 14. As during the Covid-19 pandemic, the issue of mandatory vaccination of caregivers is once again on the table. “The question is worth asking,” Yannick Neuder declared on Tuesday.
Before adding: “The High Health Authority (HAS) has received the mandate and I have confirmed this request to take stock of the situation on these issues.”
While it is difficult to know the vaccination coverage of caregivers this season, HAS estimated that between 22% and 25% of them were vaccinated against the flu in 2021-2022. Likewise, 22.4% of professionals working in nursing homes had been vaccinated for the 2023-2024 season, according to a study by Public Health France published on July 3.
“This low coverage legitimately raises the question of mandatory vaccination”
“The HAS regrets the low vaccination coverage of professionals (…) far from the target set at 70%,” stated the public authority in July 2023, estimating that “this low coverage legitimately raises the question of mandatory vaccination.” .
However, at this point she did not want to take the step. It had counted on “maintaining the same” influenza vaccination recommendation due to the “inconsistent effectiveness of influenza vaccination over the years” and the “insufficient data available to date on the burden of nosocomial influenza among people.” cared for and on the impact of vaccination on caregivers”.
Although “several studies suggest (…) that increasing vaccination coverage of caregivers against influenza could significantly reduce the number of infections and deaths among hospitalized patients,” they present “a low level of evidence.”
The HAS thus insisted “on the need to carry out large-scale studies, particularly in establishments that care for people at risk of severe or complicated influenza, with the aim of filling this data gap.”
The Academy of Medicine has spoken out in the past in favor of this vaccination obligation for health professionals. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in September 2020, he considered this measure “obvious” and “urgent.” An opinion reiterated in March 2023. “The National Academy of Medicine recommends that annual vaccination, each fall, against influenza and against Covid-19 be included in the vaccination obligations of professionals working in the health and medical sectors -social”, it was said then. written in a press release.
“Far from being an attack on individual freedom, the vaccination obligation (…) does the honor of its profession,” estimated the Academy of Medicine, underlining that this measure was adopted in 2006 “before being unfortunately suspended the same year by the Higher Council of Public Hygiene of France.
“Mandatory vaccination in the time of Covid traumatized us”
As with Covid-19, for which mandatory vaccination was introduced on September 15, 2021 before being lifted in May 2023, this measure is the subject of debate in the medical world. For a nurse interviewed by RMC, the choice to get vaccinated is a matter of “freedom,” which she refuses to give up.
“Staff are desperate due to lack of resources and bed closures, so telling them that we should consider mandatory flu vaccination is mocking the staff who work in the public hospital,” said Audrey Joliboy, general secretary of the Force union. Ouvrière in AP-HM (public assistance – Marseille hospitals) in France Bleu.
“Mandatory vaccination in the time of Covid traumatized us. “I don’t want to start with the flu again,” commented a nurse from Marseille.
Other health professionals support him. “I don’t understand anything, we are here for the patients. If the obligation allows us to reduce the number of cases, I don’t see why we wouldn’t get vaccinated, it doesn’t cost anything,” said Eva, an intern. said at RMC in medicine for two years.
“The epidemic will be less important, fewer personnel will be infected and so as not to transmit it to the caregivers who receive it,” listed a doctor.
The general director of the AP-HP, Nicolas Revel, for his part, estimated in France Inter “that beyond an obligation”, “what is very important is that we address the issue of vaccination in our country in general.” Without commenting further on this obligation of caregivers, he advocated “re-emphasizing vaccination,” especially among the most vulnerable and the elderly.
“The pressure is still quite strong in our services and in many other regions (…), there is still time to get vaccinated,” stressed Nicolas Revel.
Source: BFM TV
