Faced with the fifth wave of the coronavirus epidemic, and in particular the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the government is banking on the booster dose of the anti-Covid vaccine to limit contamination. While some were able to receive it as early as September, others waited a little longer.
And now, for some French people, the booster dose is even conditional on obtaining a valid health pass. Age categories, calendar, deadline … 20 minutes take stock for you.
Seniors and frail people
Since September 1, 2021, nursing home residents, those over 65 and people at risk (with co-morbidities or immunocompromised) can receive their booster dose, as early as five months after their complete vaccination. Please note that this booster should be done between five and seven months after the injection of the last dose.
Since December 15, validation of the health pass for this category is conditional on the injection of the third dose. In other words, people aged over 65 “should have received their booster dose a maximum of 7 months after their complete primary vaccination”, ie those who received their last injection in mid-May. This vaccination booster will be “mandatory” to “keep a valid health pass”,
explains the Ministry of Health on its website.
People vaccinated with Janssen
For those who have received the Janssen single dose vaccine, there is a small peculiarity. Regardless of age group, people vaccinated with Janssen will need a booster dose as early as four weeks after the first – and only – injection. As for those over 65 and those at risk, this booster dose, which must be done with a Messenger RNA vaccine – Pfizer or Moderna for those over 30 – has been available since September 1, 2021.
The rule is clear: “People vaccinated with the Janssen vaccine should have received their booster dose 2 months maximum after the injection of their single dose”, explains the ministry of Olivier Véran. And the penalty is the same, after this period, “their QR code (of their health pass) will be disabled automatically”, details the ministry on its site.
People over 18
Since November 27, 2021, all people over 18 can receive their booster dose as early as five months after their last injection. As for those over 65, the vaccine booster – which again corresponds to a third dose in most cases – must be done between five and seven months after the last injection. Nevertheless, from January 3, the time between the second and the third dose will be reduced to four months instead of five, announced the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, Friday, at the end of the health defense council.
In a few weeks, the health pass will be conditioned by this booster dose, for all adults: “As of January 15, 2022, all people aged 18 and over must have received a booster dose for a maximum of 7 months. after their last injection or infection with Covid to benefit from a valid health pass ”, we can read on the website of the ministry. Note that people who make their recall “will have a new QR Code, which will become valid seven days after their injection if it is a second dose, or immediately if it is a third. dose or more, ”adds the ministry.
Caregivers and firefighters
If caregivers and firefighters can receive their booster dose since October 6, 2021, it will become mandatory from January 30, announced Olivier Véran, the Minister of Health, this Saturday morning, on France Inter.
Oivier Véran: “We are going to strengthen the vaccination obligation of caregivers and firefighters by integrating the 3rd dose from January 30”# le69inter pic.twitter.com/PXyaDfeaVR
– France Inter (@franceinter) December 18, 2021
Children
For the moment, young people aged 12 to 17, who can be vaccinated since June 15, 2021, are not (yet) affected by the booster dose. But there is still an exception, especially for fragile adolescents: “A booster dose is offered to adolescents aged 12 to 17 years for whom a weakening of the immunity conferred by the vaccine has been observed (adolescents suffering from comorbidity (s) or high-risk pathologies of serious form) “, can we read on the website of the Ministry of Health. This booster should take place 6 months after the last injection, only with mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna).
As for children aged 5 to 11 – whose booster is not on the agenda – vaccination, the first dose, should be opened from Wednesday “if all goes well”, said on Saturday the Minister of Health Olivier Véran. The National Consultative Ethics Committee (CCNE) gave a favorable opinion on Friday for this age group which is not affected by the health pass or the future vaccination pass. This pass is required for people aged 12 and over.