The Covid-19 vaccine has changed, here's why

The Covid-19 vaccination campaign began on Tuesday, October 15, and for many months, but the vaccine allocated is no longer the same as during the pandemic.

The season of runny noses and viral epidemics has begun, and we should not count on the autumn and then winter climate to strengthen our immune systems. It is therefore logical that the vaccination season opens this Tuesday, October 15, 2024. From mid-October to January 31, 2025, the health authorities are launching the new vaccination campaign against… Covid-19. The virus that has pushed a large part of the world, including France, to confine itself to several times between 2020 and 2021 continues to be a threat every winter. “It is strongly recommended that people at risk of developing severe forms of Covid-19 be vaccinated, in order to be immune to the SARS-CoV-2 virus” insists the Health Insurance, which points out that a vaccination campaign has been implemented every fall for four years now.

Who are these people at risk of developing severe forms of Covid-19? risk of Covid-19 ? According to the High Authority for Health, these are, as during the pandemic, people over 65, infants at least six months old and individuals with comorbidities or immunocompromised. In addition to these, there are pregnant women and nursing home residents and their entourage. In total, 17 million people are invited to get vaccinated.

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While a prevention message is specifically addressed to these categories of people, vaccination against Covid-19 remains open to the entire population. It is also 100% covered and can be carried out by a doctor, a nurse or a pharmacist. Measures taken to encourage the French to protect themselves against the virus.

During the first Covid-19 vaccination campaigns, health authorities had relied on several vaccines that had more or less good press, but for the 2024 campaign only one product is being used: the monovalent mRNA vaccine Comirnaty from Pfizer/BioNTech. However, it is not quite the same vaccine as in previous years. “The formulation of this vaccine has been adapted to the JN.1 variant of the virus, which is the majority circulating variant in the territory,” explains Health Insurance. During and since the pandemic, several variants of the virus responsible for Covid-19 have emerged and vaccines are adapting to the new mutations to be more effective.

Combined vaccination against Covid-19 and influenza

For several years now, every fall, the vaccination campaign has focused not on one, but on two viruses: Covid-19 and influenza. In both cases, vaccinations are open and recommended for everyone, but they are particularly so for vulnerable people, more or less the same as for Covid-19: people in their sixties, young children, people suffering from comorbidities or with a weakened immune system for one reason or another. “Because [the flu virus]” evolves every year, it is essential to protect yourself from it and get vaccinated every year” emphasizes the Health Insurance.

For people in risk, the flu vaccination is also free: “The vaccine is given free of charge at the pharmacy, upon presentation of the Vitale card and the health insurance coverage voucher” specifies the social security website. But in all other cases the vaccination is not covered.