21.10.2009 0
Provence & Cote d'Azur: Hospital workers first in line and public vaccination campaign starts 5 November
H1N1 flu vaccine available in France
A campaign to vaccinate all those working in hospitals and the medical field against the A/H1N1 influenza virus started yesterday in France. Health workers in neonatal intensive care units and paediatric wards across the country were the first to be vaccinated yesterday.
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Vaccinations will be available to the public after the 1st November All Saints holiday, from Thursday 5 November.
Pregnant women, babies, young children and their family members, and people deemed to be “at risk” (asthmatics, diabetics, those with cardio or respiratory problems, etc) will be given priority. In all cases, residents must wait until they receive notification through the post from the health authorities (their local “Assurance maladie”) who will be monitoring the campaign according to availability.
France has ordered 94 million doses. The vaccination is not compulsory and recent surveys suggest that 60-65% of people in France have no intention of taking up the offer, as fears of an epidemic taking hold in the winter recede.
In the Principality of Monaco, it will be available at the end of October. The government is canvassing all residents to find out who is at risk and may require the vaccine.
Claire Lathbury
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