Vaccination against Covid-19 has greatly contributed to reducing the hospitalizations of the most fragile French people, in particular the elderly, a study by Public Health France indicates Tuesday, November 16.
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The vaccine campaign against Covid-19 began in France at the end of December 2020, first targeting populations at risk, recalls the health agency.
A little less than a year later, nearly 75% of the French population now has a complete vaccination schedule, according to the latest figures published.
However, the study of Public Health France confirms that the vaccination had "
a significant impact on the epidemic, in particular for those eligible in priority
".
The effectiveness of vaccination illustrated
Thus, from the 3rd epidemic wave (March to May 2021), the weekly numbers of cases and deaths linked to Covid-19 decreased by nearly 90% for residents in nursing homes, in comparison with the second wave (fall 2020 ). Among all over 75s, the weekly number of hospitalizations has fallen by 29%. The impact was even more noticeable during the 4th wave (from mid-July to mid-October 2021). The average weekly numbers of cases and deaths were reduced by 94 and 96% for residents in nursing homes compared to the second wave. In both cases, the decline is 84% for people aged 75 and over.
In the other age groups, hospitalizations were reduced by 68% and deaths by 54% among those aged 50 to 64.
Hospitalizations were down 24% among those aged 18 to 49.
The agency recognizes that the interpretation of the part attributable to vaccination of the changes observed is complex because, she stresses, it is necessary to take into account other elements concomitant with the progression of vaccination (hygiene measures, social distancing ...).
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But since these prevention measures have been decreasing since last May, the improvements in terms of the impact on the epidemic observed during the fourth wave cannot be attributed to them.
"
These results underline the effectiveness of the strategy of rapid introduction of vaccination by targeting as a priority the people most at risk
", she concludes.
