Covid-19: the High Authority of Health recommends a booster dose of vaccine to professionals in charge of vulnerable people – archyworldys

The High Authority for Health (HAS) approved, Wednesday, October 6, the administration of a booster dose of vaccine against Covid-19 for “ professionals who support or support [des] vulnerable people (caregivers, medical transport and professionals in the medico-social sector) ”, also for “The entourage of immunocompromised people”, she let know in a press release.

This decision follows that of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which approved, on Monday, the administration of a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for all adults over 18, leaving the possibility for member states to define a priority population.

3.5 million professionals involved

The latest published data confirming “The usefulness of the booster to protect against a severe form of the disease and[ant] elements on its interest in reducing
transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus ”, the HAS therefore recommends the administration of a booster dose “Among professionals in the health sector and the medico-social sector but also to all medical transport professionals”.

This recommendation – which the government can choose to follow or not – concerns around 3.5 million professionals in these sectors, estimates the High Authority. To these are added between 350,000 and 400,000 people who form the entourage of immunocompromised people, according to the estimates of the Orientation Council of the vaccine strategy, cited in the press release.

This booster should be carried out at least six months after the complete primary vaccination, “Vaccine efficacy [baissant] gradually over time from the sixth month ‘, specifies the HAS. And this, “Regardless of the vaccine administered and in all age groups”, she adds. This booster dose must, however, necessarily come from a vaccine from the manufacturer Pfizer-BioNTech, based on messenger RNA technology.

No generalization to the whole population

At the end of August, the HAS had already recommended a booster dose for people over 65 and for those at risk of severe forms of Covid-19. This already affected 18 million people.

With this decision, the body paves the way for a generalization of the recall to all adults, even if it considers, for the time being, the measure premature. Even if the circumstances do “At this stage do not justify recommending the administration of an additional dose in the general population, (…) HAS emphasizes, however, that the administration of a booster dose will probably become necessary in the coming months ”.