Published on
Updated
Reading 2 mins.
in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
This Friday, the High Authority for Health (HAS) announces its latest recommendations for vaccination against Covid-19. She thus recommends a booster vaccination campaign against the virus in the fall for people at risk, “at the same time as the vaccination campaign against the flu”.
The High Authority for Health is continuing its work on vaccination against Covid-19. It has just published new recommendations, which particularly concern the most vulnerable populations.
Covid-19: a vaccination that targets the most vulnerable
In its press release, the HAS recommends a booster vaccination campaign against Covid-19, at the same time as that against seasonal flu.
This campaign would be aimed at the most vulnerable people, but also their loved ones and all people likely to be in regular contact with them, such as health professionals or people working at home. Among the people targeted by this recommendation: people aged 65 and over, those with certain comorbidities regardless of their age, as well as pregnant women.
Six months since last dose or last infection
On a practical level, it will be necessary to let pass “at least six months“since the last dose or the most recent infection” regardless of the age of the person or the number of previous reminders” further specifies the HAS.
Bivalent mRNA vaccines (developed by Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna) should be used as a priority, regardless of the vaccines used previously. In addition, for people aged 80 and over, immunocompromised people and people at very high risk of a severe form of the disease, an additional booster should be offered to them in the spring.if their state of health and their level of vaccination protection so require”.
Vaccination always possible for all
Finally, the HAS insists on the possibility for anyone who expresses the request to be able to benefit from a booster dose and to be able to be reimbursed for this vaccination. And following the vaccination strategy for the most vulnerable populations, it no longer recommends primary vaccination against Covid-19 in the general population.based on currently available data“.
However, the health authority does not exclude the possibility of “set up a vaccination campaign at any time if the epidemiological situation justifies it, in particular for immunocompromised and/or vulnerable people, or even on a larger scale in the general population given the unpredictable nature of the emergence of variants“.
The opinion of Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo
“We can only rejoice at this announcement: we are finally moving away from the mass vaccination strategy to favor a targeted strategy of common sense. This restores confidence in doctors in their role: that of targeting patients who need it according to their risk factors and no longer systematically vaccinating everyone, without distinction.“