FOCUS – As the holiday season approaches, the recall campaign for the fourth dose is in full swing. Time is running out for those who wish to be fully protected before December 25.
Christmas is fast approaching. At the same time, the ninth wave of Covid-19 continues to progress: the number of new contaminations on average smoothed over one week increased by 11.5% between December 5 and 12. With the approach of the end of year celebrations, the question of a booster shot therefore arises. “To be fully protected for Christmas is now. It will be too late in two to three days», assures Pierre-Olivier Variot, president of the union of community pharmacists (USPO).
In concrete terms, the booster vaccine reaches optimal efficiency within a fortnight after the injection. “From one week, the first signs of protection appear, adds Philippe Besset, president of the federation of pharmaceutical unions in France (FSPF). So it’s now or never». Nevertheless, Philippe Besset recognizes that the end-of-year celebrations “are widely used in the communication strategysurrounding vaccination. “It’s not just Christmas parties, I already have appointments for a vaccination on December 24», he concedes.
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On December 6, infectious disease specialist Anne-Claude Crémieux reminded the Figaro what “the vaccine does [prémunissait] not an infection“, but there was still a “very good quality protection to avoid being hospitalized”.
A reminder open to all
This Tuesday, December 13, the government formalized, in a message sent to health professionals, the opening of the booster dose against Covid-19 at “all French people who wish». This booster dosecan be performed as early as six months after the last injection» and from three months for «people aged 80 and over, as well as residents of nursing homes and USLDs (long-term care units) and immunocompromised people, regardless of their age». A note which confirms the words of the Minister of Health François Braun during his press conference on Friday, December 9.
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Since the beginning of December, the vaccination reminder campaign has generally accelerated in France. Over one week, the number of people vaccinated with a booster adapted to Omicron, which represents almost all the doses used today in pharmacies, was multiplied by 1.6. From 2.3 in two weeks. “This is clearly due to the communication and target clarification campaign», explains Philippe Besset. “There are also many people who want to be vaccinated for the holidays. To protect themselves and their loved ones», Analyzes for his part Pierre-Olivier Variot.
As a reminder, the average smoothed over seven days makes it possible to compensate for the days when fewer vaccinations are carried out, such as Sundays, and therefore to have a better view of the rate of vaccination.
At the same time, Philippe Besset observes an increase in the number of tests carried out in pharmacies. “I’m a little afraid of not being able to provide both the tests and the vaccines», he fears.
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