new virus vaccines also target Omicron

A patient receives a new vaccine for her booster dose against Covid-19, Monday, October 3. “I came to get vaccinated (…) for the sake of prevention and precaution vis-à-vis others”, she explains. The new vaccine targets the original strain of the virus, but also the Omicron variant, the source of contamination in France. On Monday, only Moderna’s vaccine is available, but Pfizer’s will be in a few days.

In France, 17 million people are eligible for the fourth booster dose. These are people over 60, adults at risk of severe form and their entourage or caregivers. Among those concerned, many are not in a hurry for the moment. Yet the epidemic is on the rise. On Sunday October 2, 37,453 new cases of Covid-19 were detected, an increase of 19.4% in seven days. “The elderly, most of them, were vaccinated more than six months ago, it is important that we re-vaccinate now”says Dr. Jean-Paul Hamon, general practitioner of the Federation of Doctors of France.