The flu vaccination campaign begins this Friday and will end on January 31. New this year: the pharmacists of Auvergne Rhône Alpes now have authorization to vaccinate patients against influenza against it. This is an experiment carried out over three years and which should make it possible to extend the “vaccination coverage”, that is to say the number of people who are vaccinated against the flu each year.
“Today, we are at 50% coverage” explains Elodie Pacheco, pharmacist in the center of Saint Etienne. “We hope to reach 75%, which should better protect populations at risk such as the elderly or infants.” Last winter, seasonal flu has been responsible for around 14,000 deaths. The target audience: active people, those who do not have time to make an appointment with their doctor or to call a health professional to get vaccinated.
But this experiment does not concern all pharmacies: the pharmacy must first obtain an authorization from the regional health agency and that the pharmacists have been trained to administer the vaccine. The pharmacy must also have a “confidentiality space”: no question of injecting at the counter.
Not for minors, nor pregnant women
To participate in the experiment, you must also meet certain criteria: be of legal age, in good health, not be pregnant or allergic, do not present any particular risks (immunosuppression, coagulation disorders or under anti-coagulant treatment) and above all, have been vaccinated against influenza in previous years. Otherwise, it will absolutely be necessary to go through your doctor.
If you can benefit from the vaccine in pharmacies, no need for a care voucher or prescription: you just have to buy the vaccine on site. Allow about half an hour for the entire operation. Pharmacists must first have you sign a declaration of consent, then keep you under observation for at least fifteen minutes, time to make sure you don’t react. Finally, the pharmacist will tell your doctor that he has vaccinated you, unless you object.
Participating pharmacies
There are 193 pharmacies that can vaccinate in the Loire and 66 in Haute-Loire. Find them on the map of pharmacies concerned.
– Atlasanté screenshot
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