Flu: "There's still time to get vaccinated," reiterates the Minister of Health.

Flu: "There's still time to get vaccinated," reiterates the Minister of Health

December 26, 2025

The flu epidemic in France "is in the process of reaching" its peak, and "there is still time to get vaccinated," Health Minister Stéphanie Rist reiterated on Friday in Lyon.

“We are in the process of reaching the peak,” “we know the peak once we start to come down. We are not yet in the decrease (…) but in a high phase,” the minister said during a visit to the emergency room of the Edouard-Herriot hospital.

According to a report published Wednesday by the French public health agency, the flu epidemic continues to intensify in France but remains "moderate" for the time being.

The epidemic peak should be reached in the last week of 2025 (72.5% probability) or in the first days of 2026 (22.5%), the institute estimated.

“We have a vaccination campaign that has increased by more than 17% compared to last year, so we are rather better vaccinated. But once again, I repeat, there is still time to get vaccinated,” insisted Ms. Rist.

"We also know from experience that every year at the start of the school year, this year it will be January 5th, when people return from traveling to different families or holiday locations, when they return, we know that this can increase the number" of people affected by the flu, the minister warned.

"We must not forget the barrier gestures," such as wearing a mask if you have symptoms and washing your hands well, "measures that all French people now know, but which are important to remember," she added.

When questioned about the requisitioning of doctors, as in the Bouches-du-Rhône where 17 general practitioners were requisitioned by the prefecture from December 25 to January 4 to deal with winter epidemics and during the period of leave for healthcare workers, the minister assured that "this is not unusual. It can happen to allow our fellow citizens to be treated."

"There is no obligation for general practitioners regarding this on-call outpatient care, but there is a collective responsibility. So, I would like it not to be through obligation, but rather through work between professionals, to allow for on-call lists," she argued.

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