4TH DOSE. Faced with the resurgence of Covid-19 cases, the authorities are talking about the injection of a new dose of vaccine. Who would be affected by this 4th dose?
[Mis à jour le 1er juillet 2022 à 16h10] A rise in cases, recommendations on wearing a mask… and soon a new sequence of vaccination ? While nearly 80,000 cases of Covid-19 are currently recorded on average every day in France, the question of injecting a new dose of vaccine has come back to the fore. While the French have already had to go to a dedicated center two or three times to be administered the injections – in particular in order to keep the vaccination pass in place – will a new reminder have to be carried out? In France, several points of view have been given on the subject in recent days. For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO), through the voice of its director for Europe, Hans Kluge, has launched an appeal to European states, inviting them to increase their level of vaccination: “high immunity in the population and the choices made to reduce the risk for the elderly will be the keys to preventing additional mortality this summer.”
What is the 4e dose of vaccine against Covid-19?
1st, 2e3e4e, booster dose… So many terms that are often mentioned when it comes to vaccination against Covid. But how to find your way there without getting lost? The 1st and the 2e dose were the starting point of the vaccination campaign, making it possible to complete its initial vaccination schedule. Then, for the most fragile and oldest people, a 3ethen a 4e dose of vaccine can be injected into them. On this subject, we also speak of 1st and 2e booster dose.
A 4e dose of vaccine against Covid-19, for whom?
The possibility of being administered a 4e dose of vaccine against Covid-19 dates back to early January, before being extended in mid-March. At this stage, this 2e recall is open to immunocompromised people, their relatives, and those aged 60 and over. However, it is necessary to respect a delay since its last injection before being able to claim to receive a new dose of vaccine: three months for immunocompromised people and those aged 80 and over; six months for people aged 60 to 79.
For the time being, the 4th dose of vaccine against Covid is not compulsory. But highly recommended for these populations. Jean-François Delfraissy, president of the Scientific Council, called on people over 60 and people with several risk factors to “get vaccinated with the 4e dose now without waiting for September/October”. “Because these vaccines exist, they are effective against the BA.5 variant in severe forms”, he insisted.
A 4e Will the dose of vaccine against Covid-19 be generalized?
This is the big question. While in its vaccination strategy, the government has gradually opened up access to vaccines by age group, will it be the same with the 4e dose (2e booster dose)? “We will probably come there” replied Brigitte Bourguignon on June 27, without however, at this stage, mentioning a precise timetable, criteria or even constraints on this subject. Remember that in January, the validity of the vaccination pass was conditional on the injection of a booster dose.