Alain Fischer, president of the Council of orientation of the vaccine strategy, estimates Thursday February 3 on franceinfo that“we can consider that, at a distance from the primary vaccination, an infection equals a booster”while the vaccination pass becomes valid for people who have contracted Covid-19 after a primary vaccination. “It is a recommendation that we had made to Olivier Véran and his ministry”because “the infection may be thought to confer a boost in one’s defenses against the virus similar to a booster dose.”
franceinfo: Will Covid-19 become a less severe disease with which we live on a daily basis?
Alain Fisher: What is certain is that we are not done. There will be no eradication of the virus. We can hope, without absolute certainty, that it evolves at a seasonal rhythm which is somewhat similar to what we observe each year with the flu. But you have to be careful and assess and monitor.
Will vaccination become seasonal?
It is plausible. It’s a little early to say for sure, but it’s a reasonable scenario to do as with the flu, with people at risk getting vaccinated once a year, in early fall, depending on the virus circulating. at this moment. The number one criterion is the risk of a serious form of the infection. This is by far the primary criterion that will determine the rest of the indications for vaccination.
The valid vaccination pass with two doses then an infection, is this the right procedure to follow?
This is a recommendation that we made to Olivier Véran and his ministry. An infection corresponds to a stimulation of the immune system, in the same way that a dose of vaccine leads to a stimulation of the immune system.
“Obviously it’s not quite the same thing, but there’s a number of data showing that the stimulation of the immune system by an injection is strong.”
Alain Fischer, Chairman of the Vaccine Strategy Guidance Councilat franceinfo
It allows in particular a local immunity, that is to say at the level of the nose, the throat for some time. For someone who has had their primary vaccination and develops the infection some time later, the infection might be thought to confer a boost in their defenses against the virus similar to a booster dose. It can be considered that, at a distance from the primary vaccination, one infection equals one booster.
When we are contaminated, how long are we quiet afterwards?
If we are in the case of a person with a complete primary vaccination or a booster, followed by an infection, as has been the case for a lot of people in recent weeks, the question is whether it will take a additional reminder. The answer we don’t know yet. The recommendation for the time being is not to do an additional booster, because the protection conferred by the infection after the primary vaccination or after the booster holds good in terms of protection against the severe forms of the disease. What we are looking at very closely are frail and elderly people. This may change depending on knowledge. If at some point, we realize that people who have had an infection after primary vaccination are hospitalized a little more often, then there may be an indication to offer a booster for people over 80, for example. .