Vaccination against Covid-19 is still in force in France but only the people most at risk are now targeted. Practical guide for primary vaccination and booster doses.
In France, vaccination against Covid-19 began in December 2020 and targeted everyone. On February 24, 2023, the High Authority of Health announced that it would no longer recommend primary vaccination against Covid-19 in the general population but “insists on the importance of giving the possibility to anyone who expresses the request, to benefit from full coverage of their vaccination against Covid-19”. This advice may change in the event of a new epidemic wave and the emergence of new, more virulent variants. The Comirnaty® JN.1 vaccine is the only vaccine mRNA vaccines distributed during the 2024-2025 winter campaign. The Nuvaxovid®, Spikevax® and VidPrevtyn Beta® vaccines are no longer offered, the Directorate General of Health informed on September 17, 2024.
HAS Covid vaccination recommendations
“At the end of its evaluation, and in order to confer a sufficient level of vaccine protection to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with Covid-19 and therefore to reduce the number of deaths and the occurrence of serious forms requiring hospitalizations”, the HAS:
- no longer recommends primary vaccination against Covid-19 in the general population
- recommends combining the autumn Covid vaccination with the flu vaccination campaign
- to respect a period of at least 6 months since the last dose or infection, regardless of age and booster order, before administering the booster dose (3 months for those over 80 and immunocompromised people).
Who are the people at risk who need a booster dose?
- people aged 65 and over
- immunocompromised people
- anyone at very high risk
- infants from 6 months, children, adolescents and adults with comorbidities at higher risk of severe disease (hypertension, heart, vascular, liver, kidney, lung problems, diabetes, obesity, cancers, transplant recipients, people with Down syndrome or psychiatric disorders or dementia);
- pregnant women;
- immunocompromised people;
- people with any other comorbidity, taking into account the individual medical situation, as part of a shared medical decision with the healthcare team;
- people living in the vicinity of or in regular contact with immunocompromised or vulnerable people, including professionals in the health and social care sectors.
Covid-19 vaccination is taking place by appointment. This appointment can be made:
- on Santé.fr;
- by phone : 0 800 009 110 (7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.);
- near the attending physician (by calling or through an online dating site if available);
- in pharmacy (by making an appointment online (DoctolibKeldoc, Quickly my dose…).
- in the workplace (occupational medicine);
- at the place of care (healthcare establishment, nursing home, etc.).
Covid vaccination is mainly carried out by appointment but it is possible to get vaccinated in some pharmacies or vaccination centers without an appointment. You must contact them beforehand to find out if they carry out vaccination without an appointment. People over 65 have priority for vaccination and do not need an appointment to be vaccinated. Go :
- on sante.fr which specifies for each place whether they are accessible with or without an appointment as well as the places open on Sundays;
- on the appointment booking platforms Doctolib, Keldoc, Maiia
- by telephone: 0 800 009 110 (7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.);
- from a pharmacist, a local doctor (general practitioner, specialist doctor, or occupational physician) or a nurse
- at your workplace;
- at your place of care.
How to get vaccinated at the pharmacy?
There appointment booking in pharmacy is not not necessary for over 65s concerned with vaccination as a priority. Vaccination is done for others by appointment (either by going directly to the pharmacy to make an appointment, or by going to an appointment booking site (Doctolib, etc.).
Key dates for Covid-19 vaccination in France
- December 2020 : launch of the first vaccination campaign against Covid-19
- June 2021 : opening of primary vaccination to adolescents at risk
- August 2021 : recommendation of the administration of a booster dose for people at risk
- November 2021 : recommendation of a booster dose for the entire population aged 18 and over
- December 2021 : opening of primary vaccination for adolescents to children aged 5 to 11
- March 2022 : recommendation of a second booster vaccination for populations most at risk of severe form
- July 2022 : recommendation to extend the 2nd booster (or 4th dose most often) to adults under 60 at risk, pregnant women and people living in the entourage or in regular contact with immunocompromised or vulnerable people
- October 2022 : recommendation of an additional booster dose (5th dose for some) for people at risk of severe form of the disease.
Source: Covid-19 vaccination strategy Anticipation of vaccination campaigns in 2023, HAS, February 24, 2023