“We have three effective weeks left before Christmas, it is now that vaccination is played out to guarantee the strongest possible protection, to have a good holiday season and to avoid saturation of hospital structures! “The watchword is released this Tuesday noon by the Ministry of Health, which wants to “mobilise”. And for good reason : the fall reminder campaign against Covid-19but also the annual flu vaccination, skate this fall.
The numbers speak for themselves. Regarding the Covid, since October 3, 2 million people have reached out once more. 1.8 million of them received a dose of one of the two vaccines adapted to Omicron available, called “bivalent” and considered more effective than those of the first generation. In terms of vaccination coverage, only 9.4% of people aged at least 80 and 7.2% of people aged 60-79 received a dose of bivalent vaccine.
No stock problem
” And we compare ourselves with England, we see that we can do better, ”recognizes the Ministry of Health. It is the least that can be said: across the Channel, vaccination coverage with a booster adapted to Omicron reaches 80% among those over 70 years old. The situation in France could be explained, among other factors, by a feeling of “fed up” among the population, the authorities’ lack of action and communication, or even the puzzle of the rules.
Indeed, not all of the target population is necessarily eligible for a new booster. It is necessary to allow at least three months to pass (for the over 80s, residents of nursing homes and the immunocompromised) or six months (for all others) since the last injection, but also three months since the last Covid infection, the optionally. The ministry thus estimates a rate of inhabitants “sufficiently protected”, either by vaccination or by infection: 21% of people over 80 and 37% of people aged 60-79. Which is still very low.
“Particularly intense” flu epidemic?
In addition to people aged at least 60, younger adults at risk of serious forms, those living in the entourage of a vulnerable person, pregnant women or caregivers are eligible for a new booster dose ( subject to respecting the two conditions detailed above). There is no stock problem: 15.7 million doses of bivalent vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech) are available in France.
With regard to influenza, the proportion of the population vaccinated is down 13% compared to the same period last year. Bad news, as the epidemic began in France. Four regions were already placed on pre-alert in mid-November, and the two main pharmacist unions said they feared a “particularly intense” epidemic this winter. The only indicator on the rise compared to last year: 337,000 concomitant flu/Covid injections (one in each arm) have been carried out to date, versus 284,000 last year on the same date.