Christmas is fast approaching.
At the same time, the ninth wave of Covid-19 continues to progress: the number of new contaminations on average smoothed over one week increased by 11.5% between December 5 and 12.
With the approach of the end of year celebrations, the question of a booster shot therefore arises.
“
To be fully protected for Christmas is now.
It will be too late in two to three days
”
,
assures Pierre-Olivier Variot, president of the union of community pharmacists (USPO).
In concrete terms, the booster vaccine reaches optimal efficiency within a fortnight after the injection.
“From a week, the first signs of protection appear,
adds Philippe Besset, president of the federation of pharmaceutical unions in France (FSPF).
So it's now or never
.
"
Nevertheless, Philippe Besset recognizes that the end of year celebrations “
are used a lot in the communication strategy
” surrounding vaccination.
“
It's not just the Christmas holidays, I already have appointments for a vaccination on December 24
,
”
he concedes.
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On December 6, infectiologist Anne-Claude Crémieux reminded Le
Figaro
that "
the vaccine does not [protect] from infection
", but that there remained
"very good quality protection to avoid being hospitalized".
A reminder open to all
This Tuesday, December 13, the government formalized, in a message sent to health professionals, the opening of the booster dose against Covid-19 to “
all French people who wish it
”
.
This booster dose "
can be carried out as early as six months after the last injection
" and as early as three months for "
people aged 80 and over, as well as residents in EHPAD and USLD (Long-Term Care Unit) and
immunocompromised
people, regardless of age
.
A note which confirms the words of the Minister of Health François Braun during his press conference on Friday, December 9.
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Since the beginning of December, the vaccination reminder campaign has generally accelerated in France.
Over one week, the number of people vaccinated with a booster adapted to Omicron, which represents almost all the doses used today in pharmacies, was multiplied by 1.6.
From 2.3 in two weeks.
“
This is clearly due to the communication and target clarification campaign
,
”
explains Philippe Besset.
“
There are also many people who want to be vaccinated for the holidays.
To protect themselves and their loved ones
, ”analyzes Pierre-Olivier Variot.
As a reminder, the smoothed average over seven days makes it possible to compensate for the days when fewer vaccinations are carried out, such as Sundays, and therefore to have a better view of the vaccination rate.
At the same time, Philippe Besset observes an increase in the number of tests carried out in pharmacies.
"
I'm a little afraid of not being able to provide both the tests and the vaccines
,
"
he fears.