Covid-19: Alain Fischer recommends a recall for those over 65 from mid-October – LCI

And three? While multiple studies warn about the drop in the level of protection of anti-Covid vaccines over the months, in particular because of the Delta variant, Alain Fischer, the “Monsieur vaccine” of the government, recommends this Friday a recall for the French over 65 years old, which sees their antibody drop more quickly. This third injection could take place at the same time as the flu shot in mid-October.

Yes “it has already been noted that those over 80 and very sick people will be able to benefit from a booster dose”, says Prof. Alain Fischer, Chairman of the Vaccine Strategy Orientation Council (COSV), interviewed by L’Express, discussions are still ongoing for the lower age groups as well as for health professionals.

“The Guidance Council defends the idea of ​​pairing this anti-Covid booster with the flu vaccine, for audiences who are usually eligible for influenza vaccination, because they are quite identical to those for which an anti-Covid booster appears. relevant: people over 65, people with co-morbidities, and pregnant women “, explains Prof. Alain Fischer.

In this hypothesis, the administration of this additional dose would start at the same time as the influenza campaign, scheduled for October 23. It would also concern people who received their first injections at the beginning of the year (February, March and April 2021). “This is the scenario that seems to me the most suitable, from an organizational point of view, even if all this requires going a little further in the analysis before decision”, he specifies to our colleagues.

Discussions continued in this direction this Friday at the High Authority of Health (HAS) to precisely determine the age from which this booster injection would be recommended. The assumption of 75 years is not excluded. This body should make public its opinion on the subject early next week, before the next health defense council.

Since a few weeks, governments are making more announcements about this vaccine booster. Israel had started the ball rolling, offering this additional injection to its inhabitants over 60, before lowering this age to 40 since August 19. The German and Swedish authorities say they are initially targeting only the most vulnerable, very old or immunocompromised. For its part, the United Kingdom will offer this additional injection to over 50s. Finally, in the United States, President Joe Biden has just announced that all TOAmericans vaccinated for more than eight months could access it.

These decisions take place in a context where theWorld Health Organization (WHO) calls for a moratoriume on the third doses, arguing the need to first protect populations not yet vaccinated in the rest of the world.