Covid-19: Less than 10% of older people received boosters this fall, ministry wants to ‘mobilize’

“We have three effective weeks left before Christmas, right now the vaccination is being played to guarantee the strongest possible protection, have a good holiday season and avoid overcrowding of hospital structures! “The slogan was released on Tuesday at noon by the Ministry of Health, which wants to ‘mobilize’. And for good reason: the fall Covid-19 reminder campaign continues this fall, as does the annual flu vaccination.

The numbers speak for themselves. As for Covid, since October 3, 2 million people have applied again. Of these, 1.8 million received a dose of one of two Omicron-adapted vaccines available, called “bivalent” and considered more effective than first-generation vaccines. In terms of vaccination coverage, only 9.4% of people aged 80 years or older and 7.2% of people aged 60-79 received a dose of bivalent vaccine.

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“If we compare ourselves with England, we will see that we can do better,” the Ministry of Health acknowledges. The least that can be said is that across the English Channel, Omicron-adapted booster vaccination coverage is as high as 80% in people over 70 years of age. The situation in France could be explained, among other things, by the feeling of “satiation” of the population, the lack of action and communication on the part of the authorities, or even the riddle of the rules.

Indeed, not the entire target population is necessarily eligible for a new booster therapy. It is necessary that at least three months (for people over 80 years of age, residents of nursing homes and immunocompromised people) or six months (for everyone else) have passed since the last injection, and three months since the last infection with Covid, optional. Thus, the ministry estimates the number of residents “sufficiently protected” either by vaccination or infection: 21% of people over 80 and 37% of people aged 60-79. What is still very little.

A “particularly intense” influenza epidemic?

In addition to people at least 60 years of age, young people at risk of serious illness, those living in vulnerable environments, pregnant women or caregivers are eligible for a new booster dose (subject to the two conditions detailed above ). There are no stock issues: France has 15.7 million doses of bivalent vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech).

As for influenza, the share of the vaccinated population decreased by 13% compared to the same period last year. Bad news, since the epidemic started in France. Four regions had already been put into pre-alert mode in mid-November, and two major pharmaceutical unions said they feared a “particularly intense” epidemic this winter. The only number that is up from last year is 337,000 flu/covid concomitant injections (one in each arm) to date, up from 284,000 last year on the same date.