The Covid-19 vaccination campaign opens this Monday, October 1, two weeks in advance. It was in principle supposed to open at the same time as the one against the flu, that is to say on Tuesday October 17. Its main objective is to avoid congestion in hospital services that are already exhausted.
At the end of August, Public Health France reported “an increase in the number of visits to the emergency room for suspected Covid-19 for all ages”.
Who is the vaccine intended for?
For the most vulnerable people: people over 65, people with comorbidities (diabetes, cancer, heart, liver, vascular or kidney problems), people with Down syndrome, pregnant women and all immunocompromised people. Vaccination is recommended for those around them.
The vaccine is, however, reimbursed and open to all. You just have to wait six months since the last injection or the last infection. “Vaccination schedules have been simplified for people aged 5 and over. Regardless of the patient’s vaccination history, the dosage now consists of a single dose of vaccine,” even specifies the DGS Urgent, this circular from the Ministry of Health addressed to professionals on September 15, 2023. For children aged 6 months to 4 years, a complete vaccination schedule (two doses) remains to be done if they have never encountered the virus or the vaccine.
What vaccine is offered?
“For this campaign, the vaccine adapted to current variants (XBB.1.5) will be used preferentially,” we can read on the Public Health France information site dedicated to vaccination. More precisely, it is the Corminaty Omicron XBB 1.5 messenger RNA from Pfizer, in its three forms (two pediatric, one adult) which will be favored. The manufacturer has planned more than 10 million doses. According to the WHO, it is also effective against the latest variants (EG.5, BA.2.86, etc.). It received marketing authorization on August 31.
When people do not wish or cannot receive this type of vaccine, HAS considers that the Nuvaxovid® vaccines from Novavax and Covid-19 from Janssen represent an additional option. In fact, they were injected very little during the previous recall campaign.
Where to get vaccinated?
In pharmacies, in the offices of doctors, nurses, midwives… And even in those of dentists!