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HEALTH

What you need to know about France’s 2020 flu vaccination campaign

Always an important part of the medical calendar, the seasonal flu vaccine campaign has taken on a new importance this year. Here's what you need to know about getting vaccinated in France.

Published: 9 October 2020 09:09 CEST
Updated: 13 October 2020 11:24 CEST
What you need to know about France's 2020 flu vaccination campaign
Photo: AFP

France has increased by 30 percent its order of flu jabs this year and is set to launch a major campaign to get people vaccinated with the aim of avoiding flooding hospitals with both flu and Covd-19 patients this winter.

So here's what you need to know.

When?

The campaign officially starts on Tuesday, October 13th and runs until January 31st, although health authorities are advising people to get vaccinated early before the flu begins to circulate.

Who?

The following groups are strongly recommended to have the jab

  • Over 65s
  • People with chronic or long-term health conditions
  • People with a BMI of 40 or over
  • Pregnant women
  • People who live with those who cannot be vaccinated, including babies and those who are immunocompromised

Health workers and carers are also recommended to be vaccinated, although anyone who wants the jab can get it.

Where?

Doctors, nurses and midwives are all able to administer the vaccine and from 2019 it is also possible to get the jab in some pharmacies.

People identified as being in high risk groups will be contacted advising them to get the vaccine, they will be sent a voucher which can be taken to the pharmacy to exchange for a vaccine.

If you fall into one of the risk groups but have not been contacted, you can still make an appointment to get the vaccine. Children under the age of 18 will need a prescription from their doctor, but adults do not.

Pharmacies which have staff trained to administer the vaccine will have posters in their window advertising this service.

How much?

The vaccine itself is €6 and if you have it administered by a doctor or nurse you will need to pay for an appointment at the usual rate – usually €25 for a doctor's appointment. The vaccine is refunded 100 percent via your carte vitale and the cost of the appointment is refunded at 100 percent for people in the high risk groups where the jab is recommended. Those who are not in a high risk group will have their appointment cost refunded at the standard rate.

Which vaccine?

“For the first time, in addition to orders from pharmacies, we have secured state orders and we have 30 percent more vaccine doses than in previous years,” health minister Olivier Véran said in a speech to the French Senate.

“We must be extremely careful with the vaccination of vulnerable groups and caregivers.”

The vaccines Influvac Tetra and Vaxigrip Tetra are being offered in France this year.

France's government advice page states: “The vaccine is safe and has few, if any, side effects (most often mild and short-lasting local reactions, more rarely fever, muscle or joint pain, headache).

“It cannot give the flu because the viruses in the vaccine are not alive.”
 
French vocab
 
La grippe – flu
 
Le vaccin – vaccine
 
Les personnes fragiles – people in high-risk groups
 
Les effets secondaire – side effects 
 
Indice de masse corporelle (IMC) – Body mass index (BMI)

 

 

Member comments

  1. Either you are wrong re. “what you should know about the flu vaccine “, or my doctor’s office is wrong . I have just been told that when I receive my voucher for the vaccine I must take it to my doctor for it to be ‘stamped ‘- i.e. authorised – before I take it to the pharmacy. Which is correct ?

  2. I have been having the flu jab in France for seventeen years. Never have I had to have the voucher stamped. I take it to the pharmacy, receieve the vaccine, which I take to the cabinet medicale to have the injection from the nurse. I can also choose to have the injection from the pharmacist.

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PROPERTY

How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

Storm Ciaran’s property-wrecking passage through France - with another storm forecast for the weekend - may have many people wondering how comprehensive their insurance cover is. 

Published: 3 November 2023 15:45 CET
How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

In the wake of Storm Ciaran, thousands of property owners in France are preparing insurance claims – with initial estimates of the bill for damage between €370 million and €480 million.

Home insurance is compulsory in France, whether you own the property you live in or you rent – and it must include some level of storm damage cover. 

Check also to see if your insurance provides cover in case of a declaration of a catastrophe naturelle.

The garantie tempête (storm guarantee) covers damage caused by violent winds. What constitutes a ‘violent wind’ varies from contract to contract, but there appears to be a widespread consensus of agreement on wind speeds over 100km/h.

In most insurance contracts, this covers damage caused by the storm and within the following 48 hours – so you’re covered if, for example, a tree weakened by the storm comes down within that period and damages your property.

Be aware that, while the storm guarantee automatically covers the main property, it generally only covers any secondary buildings and light constructions – such as a veranda, shed, solar panels, swimming pool or fence – if they are specifically mentioned in the contract. 

The same is true of any cars damaged by debris. A basic insurance contract might not include storm damage, so it is always worth checking.

Damage must be reported to your insurer as quickly as possible. The deadline for making declarations is usually five days after any damage is noticed. This is especially important for second home owners, who may not be at the property when the damage occurs. 

In some cases – such as in the aftermath of Storm Ciaran – insurers may extend the reporting period. But under normal circumstances, it’s five days after the damage has been discovered.

What happens next

To make a claim, the first thing to do is contact your insurer by phone or email. Your insurer will take you through the next steps, but usually you have to send in a declaration – which should include an estimate of any losses and for any repairs, with evidence where possible, such as photographs and any receipts for purchases. 

Your insurer may also request proof of wind intensity, which can be provided for example by a nearby weather station.

The insurance company may appoint an expert to come and assess the damage, so make sure to keep damaged property safe until they arrive, as well as all invoices for any urgent repair work. 

What if you’re a tenant?

If you rent your property, you must report any damage inside the accommodation to your insurer and also notify your landlord so that they can file their own claim. 

In the case of a co-propriete, you must declare damage inside the accommodation to your insurer, while the trustee sends his own declaration to the collective insurance (which sometimes covers the private areas) .

How long does it take for claims to be settled?

Payment of the compensation provided for by the “storm guarantee” depends your home insurance contract. After the insurer has estimated the amount of damage, compensation is generally paid between 10 and 30 days following receipt of the insured’s agreement.

What if we got flooded?

In the case of flooding, you may have to wait for a natural disaster order to be issued. 

Catastrophe naturelle

The ‘state of natural disaster’ is a special procedure that was set up in 1982 so victims of exceptional natural events, such as storms, heavy rain, mudslides and flooding, as well as drought, can be adequately compensated for damage to property.

The government evaluates each area and deems whether it qualifies for the status of catastrophe naturelle (natural disaster). 

Essentially once a zone is declared a natural disaster, victims can claim from a pot of funds created by all insurers. If the zone is not declared a disaster, insurance companies are under no obligation to pay out. 

Under a “state of natural disaster” residents are covered for all those goods and property that are directly damaged by the phenomenon, in this case storms.

It applies to residential or commercial buildings, furniture, vehicles and work equipment that are already covered by insurance policies.

Homes must be already covered by a multi-risk insurance policy for the status of natural disaster to count.

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