2023-08-17 15:38:26
Covid-19 is still circulating. The virus has even made a significant comeback in recent weeks with the appearance of the now majority Eris sub-variant. For the week of July 31 to August 6, Public Health France reports a 24.6% increase in the number of emergency room visits for symptoms suggestive of Covid-19, i.e. 216 additional visits compared to the previous week.
Even if the institution speaks of “very low levels” and recalls that “the proportion of hospitalizations after passages remains stable”, it adds that “the current situation requires remaining vigilant. Faced with this increase in contamination, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called on August 9 for all countries to “intensify efforts to increase vaccination coverage” for people at risk. What about in France? 20 Minutes provides an update on the 2023-2024 campaign which should see the light of day in two months.
For when ?
In an opinion of February 23, the High Authority for Health (HAS) already recommended organizing a vaccination campaign against Covid-19 for the fall, coupled with that against influenza, for people at risk of severe form. . All in the absence of an epidemic recovery. Resumption which is therefore not noted for the moment. This vaccination campaign will begin on September 6 in Mayotte and on October 17 in mainland France, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyana, according to an official bulletin from the Ministry of Health published on July 19.
For who ?
Both institutions recommend double vaccination for all people at risk. Namely immunocompromised people and those with comorbidities such as chronic diseases, obesity or diabetes, and this, from the age of 6 months. Pregnant women, people over 65, those with psychiatric disorders, dementia or trisomy 21 are also affected, the ministry said.
The Directorate General of Health (DGS) also recommends vaccination “to people around them or in regular contact with them”. Although the vaccination obligation for medical and paramedical professionals was suspended by decree on May 13, 2023, the DGS recommends vaccination to “professionals in close and prolonged contact with people at risk, including professionals in the health and medico-social sectors “, “especially for professions in regular contact with immunocompromised or vulnerable people. »
Vaccination against the coronavirus, which remains free, is also open to anyone who wishes, provided they respect the six-month period after the last infection or injection.
By who ?
The skills of pharmacists, nurses and laboratory technicians in the field of vaccination have been extended by two decrees published on August 9 in the Official newspaper. These three professions will now be able to prescribe and administer all the injections of the vaccination schedule for people over the age of 11. To benefit from this extension of their field of competence, pharmacists will have to undergo compulsory theoretical training of at least ten hours. Midwives are also, for the first time, beneficiaries of these new measures.
The DGS also recalls that pharmacy assistants and students of the second cycle and short third cycle of pharmacy can now, under certain conditions, in addition to the administration of vaccines against Covid-19, administer vaccines against influenza in community pharmacy.
For what ?
The HAS recommends the use of “bivalent messenger RNA vaccines adapted to Omicron”, such as those from Pfizer or Moderna, for people over 30 years of age. Eris being now the majority, the Pfizer and Moderna laboratories, as well as Novavax are currently working on a new vaccine capable of targeting this new variant. According to the Archyde.com agency, it should be distributed from the end of September.
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