Vaccines against Covid-19: viral circulation, reduced immunity… Why a new vaccination campaign is planned for April

This is the seventh time since the start of the health crisis that health officials have scheduled a vaccination visit with the French. This Tuesday, February 27, the Ministry of Health announced that a new vaccination campaign against Kovid-19 will be organized in April 2024.

This promises to be very different from last autumn: this time, France is not facing an increase in virus contamination. However, a new form of the virus – called JN.1 – has since established itself in France. Currently available vaccines remain effective against this new strain. La Dépêche du Midi This returns to several points in the new campaign.

Why the new vaccination campaign?

The vaccination campaign that has just been announced takes place in a very different viral context from last October: in its latest situation bulletin of February 21, Sainte-Publique France mentions “decreasing” virological indicators and “low levels”. Following the advice of the High Authority of Health, the Ministry of Health justifies this new vaccination campaign with a prevention policy, emphasizing the “unpredictable nature of the new epidemic wave of Covid-19 and the emergence of new, more virulent variants, leading to reduced immunity against severe forms and death.” Going.

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But the campaign – which will begin on April 15 and end on June 16 – aims to strengthen or maintain the immunity of the vaccine given during the previous operation of this type several months ago. In fact, over time, the level of antibodies present in the body decreases, so the immune system must be re-stimulated. In practice, you have to wait At least six months After your last injection or your last viral infection to get a new vaccination booster.

Who cares?

This new vaccination campaign is mainly for vulnerable people: according to it, the higher authority of health mentioned “people aged 80 and above, as well as residents of nursing homes/USLDs (long-term care units) and immunocompromised people. People suffering from comorbidities and Pregnant women are also invited to be vaccinated.This includes health and medical-social sector professionals, students and health sector professionals (working in institutions or self-employed), students and professionals living around or in regular contact with immunocompromised or weakened people. Added to this are people living in emergency and fire services and people who are, on a daily basis, in contact with immunocompromised patients.

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If you are not part of the target audience, it is entirely possible to get a booster vaccination. This will also be covered 100% by health insurance.

What vaccines are used?

Two vaccines are favored for this new vaccination campaign: Pfizer/Biotechwhich uses so-called messenger RNA technology and, as a second line, recombinant protein vaccines Novavax. Both proved effective against XBB.1.5, the variant that was dominant at the time last October: “A vaccine booster adapted to XBB.1.5 provided significant protection against hospitalization for Covid-19 during the last fall campaign”, punctuates Public Health France. And these vaccines remain effective against the JN.1 variant: a Danish survey of October 2023 thus confirms that vaccination boosters make it possible to reduce the risk of hospitalization by 76%.

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What remains then is the follow-up of previous operations: previous campaigns were mainly aimed at the over-65s and vulnerable people… barely a third of the target population received booster vaccinations. Over-80s exercised more: 36.8% of them received a reminder in recent months. For health officials, especially among health professionals, who are also influenced by the recommendations, the figures are much lower. Sante Public France thus supports that only 10 to 12% of health professionals have booster vaccinations.