COVID VACCINE REMINDER. In the context of an acceleration of the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in September, the 4th dose (2nd booster) is necessary to protect the elderly from Covid, insist the health authorities. Path to follow.
The fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is a second booster dose in vaccination. Elle is recommended in France for all people at risk of serious forms of Covid (immunocompromised, nursing home residents, elderly…) but still too few have carried it out indicates Public Health France in its epidemiological point of 15 September while the epidemic is starting once more : “It is essential to strengthen the vaccination effort, in view of the insufficient vaccination coverage, in particular that of the second booster dose in the elderly. As of September 13, only 33.9% of those aged 60-79 and 47.4% of those aged 80 and over among those eligible had received this second dose.” The appointment are open (possibility to take them on Doctolib or santé.fr) and the vaccination can be carried out in a vaccination centre, in a pharmacy, an office or at home. Who has to do 4 doses today in France? Is she obligatory ? What are the instructions and recommendations ? How long following the third injection ? With which vaccine? Pfizer or Modern? What side effects?
Who can make a 4th dose of Covid vaccine?
The injection of a fourth dose of vaccine once morest coronavirus is open in France to:
- people aged 18 to 60 years old at risk of severe form
- women pregnant from the 1st trimester of pregnancy
- people in those around vulnerable people or immunocompromised
- the elderly 60 years and over who are 6 months or more away from their first booster (or last covid infection)
- people of over 80 years old
- residents in accommodation establishments for dependent elderly people (Ehpad) and in long-term care units (USLD)
- immunocompromised patients
- to all healthcare professionalsregardless of their age or state of health
- to all of employees in the health and medico-social sectorl, home help working with vulnerable people, medical transport professionalsas well as to firefighters
In accordance with the advice of COSVseverely immunocompromised people affected by the 4th dose are:
- solid organ transplant recipients,
- recent transplant recipients bone marrow,
- dialysis patients,
- patients with autoimmune diseases undergoing aggressive immunosuppressive treatment such as anti-CD20 or antimetabolites,
- patients with certain types of lymphomas treated with anti-CD20 or BTK inhibitors,
- patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia,
- patients with rare forms of primary immunodeficiency,
- myeloma under treatment
Deadline: when to take your 4th dose of Covid vaccine?
The Haute Autorité de Santé has set the following deadlines for carrying out a second booster vaccine once morest Covid:
► For 18-79 year olds : from 6 months following the first booster shot.
► For people aged 80 and over, residents of nursing homes and USLDs and immunocompromised people : from 3 months following the last booster;
► If SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred following the last dosean additional booster dose is still recommended, respecting a minimum period of 3 months following infection.
► For health professionals, employees of the health sector, medical transport professionals, firefighters : from 6 months following the first booster, respecting a period of 3 months following infection in the event of infection occurring following the first booster.
Where to get your 4th dose of Covid vaccine?
This second vaccination booster can be carried out either:
- in a vaccination center;
- with a city health professional authorized to prescribe and administer the vaccine;
- in a dispensary, a cabinet;
- home.
What does the HAS recommend for the 4th dose?
On July 13, 2022, the High Authority for Health (HAS) recommended toto broaden administration of an additional booster dose (2nd booster or 4th dose most often) adults under 60 identified as being at risk of a severe form of Covid-19, to pregnant women and to people living in the entourage or in regular contact with immunocompromised people or vulnerable.
Is the 4th dose mandatory?
The fourth dose of coronavirus vaccine not mandatory but highly recommended for the people listed above.
Which vaccine for the 4th dose? Moderna or Pfizer?
The booster dose for eligible people is done only with an mRNA vaccine, either Comirnaty® from Pfizer (dosage at 30 µg) or Spikevax® de Moderna (dosage at 50 µg) regardless of the vaccine(s) previously used according to the COSV. The Pfizer vaccine is the only one given to people under 30. “A full dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or a half dose of Moderna vaccine are used for this second booster shot” recommends the DGS.
How effective is the 4th dose?
“The 4th dose divides by 4 our risk of hospitalization, so there is a real effect on severe forms and there is no more side effects than following the 3rd dose nor depletion of the immune response when you repeat the injections” said Professor Arnaud Fontanet of the Covid Scientific Council on May 5. “It is known that a second booster vaccination [ou quatrième dose] reduces the risk of hospitalization, resuscitation, and death by 80%“announced Olivier Véran, still Minister of Health, on April 7 on RTL.After a booster shot with the Pfizer vaccine, vaccine efficacy once morest hospitalizations was 90% and decreased to approximately 85% following 5 to 9 weeks and then 75% following 10 to 14 weeks. After a booster with the Moderna vaccine, the booster efficacy once morest hospitalization was 90-95% up to 9 weeks following vaccination“ indicated the HAS in its avis you March 17, 2022.
What are the side effects observed following the 4th dose?
According to the analysis published by theANSM on September 9, 2022, a total of 147 serious cases occurred following the second booster injection carried out with the Pfizer vaccine (on 5,098,624 injections). They concern 70 women and 77 men, with an average age of 77.6 years (min 51 years – max 101 years). “Of all of these 147 cases, no specific characteristic emerges compared to the expected in this population and to cases that might be analyzed following a 1st or 2nd injection, or first reminder of Comirnaty” specifies the ANSM which does not issue a safety signal. As of August 25, 2022, 28 cases of adverse events have been recorded following the 2nd recall by Spikevax from Moderna, including 10 serious out of 306,895 injections.
What recommendations for pregnant women?
Pregnant women are invited to do a second booster shot once morest Covid, from the 1st trimester of pregnancy, in accordance with the recommendations of the High Authority of Health of July 13, 2022.
Sources :
Update on the surveillance of vaccines once morest Covid-19 – Period from 06/17/2022 to 07/21/2022. ANSM
People eligible for the second booster once morest Covid-19. 06/22/2022. Gouvernement.fr
Vaccine Strategy Guidance Council Recommendations for the protection of severely immunocompromised people once morest Covid-19 (Vaccination and primary prophylaxis) – November 19, 2021
Launch of the vaccine booster campaign once morest Covid-19 for priority populations – DGS – August 27, 2021
Advisory Council for the Vaccine Strategy Opinion of August 19, 2021 – Minimum time between primary vaccination and booster vaccination
