Brittany: the ARS plan to vaccinate as many people as possible at the start of the school year [Interview] – The Telegram

1 Health situation in Brittany

What conclusions can we draw from the summer season in Brittany in terms of health?

The Delta variant surprised us with its speed of expansion in July. We had a rapid and significant increase in incidence rate : we went from 15 cases per 100,000 inhabitants at the beginning of July to 101 cases per 100,000 at the end of July. This had repercussions on hospitalizations: we had regular and long-lasting admissions but which remained contained, with 407 patients as of August 30. We are still very far from the 800 patients of the previous wave. The same goes for deaths: in two months, we deplore 53 deaths, against 385 during the third wave. If we had not had the vaccination, we would have had a higher number … This summer, as in 2020, the clusters were mainly identified in leisure centers, summer camps and nursing homes.

How do we approach the start of the school year?

The current figures show an improvement: for several days, there has been a decrease in the incidence rate, which is today at 122 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The circulation of the virus is slowing down on Breton territory.

But we must remain vigilant: the return of the holidays and the mixing of populations, with the Back to School and the return to work, could lead to a new period of contamination. We must avoid what is happening in Scotland, Germany and the United States. Especially since the positive rate among 0-15 year olds [les 0-11 ans ne sont pas éligibles à la vaccination, NDLR] is almost 10%, against 2.5% in the general population in Brittany.

2 Progress of the vaccination campaign

How many Bretons remain to be vaccinated to date?

78.9% of the Breton population has already received his first dose. On the only population eligible for the vaccine, those aged 12 and over, this rate rises to 90.8%. 80% even have a complete vaccination schedule. Brittany is, with Normandy, the region where vaccinations are carried out the fastest. From now on, we are getting into the hard: 300,000 Bretons have not yet received their first dose, if we take the entire population. Including 20,000 people over 80 and 50,000 young people aged 12 to 17. The 25-49 year olds (86% of first injections) are also a little behind compared to the other age groups.

We are approaching 100%. When will the “return to normal life” in Brittany, to use the words of Jean Castex?

There is always a two-week lag between contamination and the appearance of a recovery on the indicators. At the beginning of October, we will have passed the start of the new school year, we will see the impact it had, we will be able to decide at that time. But apart from the mask which remains obligatory in certain communes, I find that “normal life” has already resumed well.

3 School vaccination

Jean-Michel Blanquer promises 600,000 tests per week in schools in France. How will it be in Brittany?

the protocol is not yet finalized. There are still points to arbitrate. We know the main lines – the saliva tests for the youngest, the self-tests for the older ones – but we are still waiting for some details. This will be done in the days to come.

A vaccination campaign will be launched in middle and high schools. How will it unfold in Brittany?

The campaign will begin on September 6 and will run for four weeks. It will aim to administer the vaccine to the remaining 15% of 12-17 year olds to be vaccinated. In the region, we have chosen to vaccinate students in existing vaccination centers. A center will be attached to several establishments according to its injection capacity, and not in relation to the distance from the school. For example, the center of Saint-Renan (29) will welcome students from the Stanislas, Saint-Michel (Plouzané) and Saint-Joseph (Ploudalmézeau) colleges. Students will get there by bus, coach or on foot, accompanied by National Education staff (teacher, administrative agent, nurse, etc.). Pfizer slots have been reserved in the centers based on an initial estimate of needs. Very marginally, teams of mobile vaccinators will be able to travel directly to establishments, such as in Quimper.

What about the second dose?

The second dose will be scheduled and a second vaccination trip with the school will be organized.

Will the students who will be vaccinated miss lessons?

The vaccination will be done during the day, during school time, either in the morning, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., or in the afternoon, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. After the injection, students will return to class. But I cannot tell you what will be organized in the schools so as not to penalize the pupils who will be vaccinated.

The government has also announced a vaccination campaign in universities. How is it going to happen?

91% of 18-24 year olds are vaccinated in Brittany. This campaign will therefore concern few people, especially foreign students. Temporary one-off operations will be organized on campuses, especially in Rennes Métropole. For the rest of the territory, meetings are still underway. But students do not have to wait for the start of the school year and its ephemeral devices to get vaccinated.

4 Vaccination of the general population

In companies, are there any specific measures that will be put in place at the start of the school year?

All the occupational physicians remain mobilized. They can order up to 100 doses of Moderna per week.

A recall campaign has just been launched in nursing homes. In Brittany, how will it unfold?

Studies show a decrease in vaccine efficacy over time with the Delta variant, hence this recall campaign. 80% of nursing homes in the region have already ordered bottles. The first deliveries are expected on September 12, for first injections on the 15.

Other categories of the population are also affected by a recall in this fall …

Yes, the 500,000 people 65 years of age and over, the very high risk people and the severely immunocompromised need a third dose. This can be done at the doctor’s office, in a center or in a pharmacy, with a messenger RNA vaccine. This booster campaign should run until February 2022. The 60,000 Bretons who have received a dose of Janssen must also do a booster dose, as soon as possible, with an RNA vaccine.

Our live on covid-19

What new “go-to” mechanisms will be put in place at the start of the school year?

To reach 80 years and over who remain to be vaccinated, Finistère will become a pilot department of a new system allowing combine an appointment in the center with the associated transport. People will receive a voucher by mail to go to a drop-in center or to a pre-booked time slot. Operations vaccination in shopping malls will also continue. We are also considering setting up home vaccinations and relaunching vaccination vans in rural areas.

Vaccination at school, “go-to” devices, vaccination centers to run, recall campaign… It will take a lot of manpower to keep the machine running. Who will be mobilized, while doctors are already in great demand at the start of the school year and pharmacists overwhelmed with screening tests?

There is a big decrease in pressure on tests for two weeks and we have few people left to be vaccinated. So even if we are going to have the recall campaign, it will not represent the same influx into the vaccination centers as the one we experienced in June. So we expect a decrease in vaccination activity in October, November and December. With a caveat, because the HAS has not yet pronounced on a recall in the general population.

A little less than 10% of the population remains to be vaccinated. When should we finish vaccinating all Britons?

It is difficult to estimate because we will never reach 100%. We will always have people who are, in principle, resistant to vaccination. We do not know either what the adherence rate will be among the 50,000 young people aged 12-17 years remaining to be vaccinated. But there are undoubtedly some elderly people, precarious or remote from the health systems, who want to benefit from the vaccination, and it is to them that we will also turn to the re-entry.