Vaccination against Covid-19: Reminder campaign for the most vulnerable starts this Thursday

The date was not yet known, it was announced a bit at the last moment. The Covid-19 revaccination campaign for the most vulnerable will begin this Thursday, the Directorate General of Health (DGS) announced on Tuesday. This will affect residents of nursing homes, people over 80 years of age, those with weakened immune systems, and those at very high risk of developing a severe form (as assessed by a doctor). If you wish, you can already get an additional booster dose of the vaccine, but this official launch date allows for easier logistics, in particular in nursing homes.

The goal is to “maintain a sufficient level of vaccine protection to reduce the occurrence of serious forms of Covid-19,” the DGS promotes. Indeed, according to numerous studies, protection declines over time since the previous dose of vaccine, even if it remains high in relation to severe forms of the disease.

Regardless of a person’s age and profile, it is now necessary to wait at least six months since the last injection or infection to be immunized again, preferably with a messenger RNA vaccine adapted to the Omicron variant. Until now, the minimum period for persons over 80 years of age was three months.

Another vaccination campaign in autumn

Vaccination will take place directly in Ehpad, in a hospital, pharmacy or doctor in the city. A person who does not belong to the target categories, but who wants to be re-vaccinated, will be able to do this for free, the authorities specify.

In autumn, another reminder campaign will be recommended to a wider audience. All adults with comorbidities and those aged at least 60 should be encouraged to do so, as recommended by the Higher Health Authority at the end of February, but the exact conditions will not be known until the start of the school year.

On Tuesday, the DGS also takes note of the fact that the Higher Health Authority no longer recommends primary vaccination (except for people at risk of serious forms). However, the opportunity to be vaccinated for the first time “will be given to anyone who expresses a request”. Just over 5% of adults have not received the slightest dose of anti-Covid-19 in France, according to Public Health France.