Vaccination against Covid-19 is the best weapon for “block the infernal mechanics of the virus”, defended the government spokesman, Gabriel Attal, Wednesday, November 17, at the exit of the Council of Ministers. Faced with the arrival of a fifth epidemic wave, the government is relying in particular on the vaccine booster.
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Those over 65 and the most fragile are already eligible for the injection of a booster dose. People aged 50 to 64 will also be able to claim it from “early December”, specifies the government website. It is already possible to book an appointment. Franceinfo summarizes what you need to know about this new recall campaign.
Who is affected by this recall campaign?
In his speech on November 9, the President of the Republic announced the launch in December of a recall campaign specifically targeting the elderly. “50 to 64 years old”. However, this entire age group should not be affected from December.
As part of the recall campaigns already underway, the authorities recommend the administration of a third dose six months after the last injection for people who have received the vaccine from Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca. If this same logic is followed for 50-64 year olds, to benefit from a booster dose from December, it will therefore be necessary for the last injection with one of these vaccines to take place no later than June. For those who have received the Janssen single-dose vaccine, the booster is recommended as early as four weeks after the injection.
How will she organize herself?
The details of the conditions for organizing this campaign are not yet known with precision. During his speech, Emmanuel Macron explained that he had requested the “scientific authorities” about “practical arrangements” of this campaign. These are expected in “the next days”, said the Ministry of Health on Tuesday during a press briefing.
Booking platforms have however anticipated and are already offering slots for the month of December. “We can now make an appointment”, assured Doctolib to Parisian (subscribers article). Pharmacists are also already in demand.
Why is the vaccine booster recommended for 50-64 year olds?
Injecting a booster dose in people over 50 is primarily justified by the attenuation of the protection conferred by vaccines over time. Vaccines “lose some of their effectiveness after five to six months, hence the interest of a booster dose”, defended Jean-François Delfraissy, Wednesday, on France Inter.
Vaccines are far from being a failure, for Jean-François Delfraissy, but “you have to know how to use them” because they “lose part of their effectiveness after 5 to 6 months, hence the interest of a 3rd dose. “and” protect relatively little against infection and transmission ” # le79inter pic.twitter.com/6qryjiq8nY
– France Inter (@franceinter) November 17, 2021
“In people over 50, we see that immunity drops (…) a little less than in people over 65”, adds Professor Stéphane Paul, immunologist at the CHU de Saint-Etienne (Loire), with France 2.
The President of the Republic, for his part, recalled in his speech that “83% of people in intensive care [avaient] over 50 years “. “It is necessary that people [les plus fragiles] remain protected against severe forms “, for his part insisted the government spokesman, Gabriel Attal, on franceinfo, the day after Emmanuel Macron’s speech.
Finally, the Chairman of the Scientific Council considers that the booster dose is one of the elements of the “toolbox” to face the fifth epidemic wave. “The forecasts show that we will be able to climb to 1,000, 1,200, 1,400 hospitalizations per day” probably “early December”, warned Jean-François Delfraissy.
Will this reminder be necessary to keep the health pass?
Not at the moment. “The 50-64 year olds will receive their booster doses from December, anyway we must give them the time necessary to be vaccinated”, argued the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, in the columns of West France. From December 15, only people aged 65 and over will have their health pass maintained, subject to the injection of a booster dose.
However, the government does not rule out changing its position, according to the “virus circulation conditions”, added Olivier Véran. Gabriel Attal, for his part, judged on franceinfo that he would be “logic” that eventually “This is the case for other audiences for whom the vaccine booster is open“, even if “it has not been decided at this stage”.