The HAS recommends mandatory flu vaccination for healthcare workers.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) recommends making seasonal flu vaccination mandatory for healthcare and social care professionals who come into contact with particularly vulnerable individuals. This recommendation, published on July 20, comes after a particularly deadly 2024-2025 flu season, marked by nearly 92,000 hospitalizations and approximately 17,900 deaths. The HAS believes this measure would better protect the most vulnerable patients against the risks of virus transmission.

The government reacted swiftly to this recommendation. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist instructed her staff to prepare the necessary work for implementing this requirement. However, this recommendation does not automatically create a legal obligation. Its application will notably require the adoption of a decree by the Council of State, which will define the professionals concerned, the monitoring procedures, and any potential exemptions.

A measure already considered in the past

France had already attempted to mandate flu vaccination for healthcare workers in 2006. A decree was published at the time but was suspended a few months later due to a lack of scientific evidence demonstrating a higher risk of infection among healthcare professionals. This time, the HAS (French National Authority for Health) bases its argument on the protection of the most vulnerable patients, rather than on that of the healthcare workers themselves, which constitutes a major shift in the approach taken.

The institution recommends a phased rollout of this requirement over a two-year period, renewable if necessary. Nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and establishments serving the most vulnerable populations would be the first to be affected, before a possible extension to other healthcare facilities. This gradual implementation aims to encourage professional buy-in while allowing time to adapt the vaccination campaign's organization.