He went there in turn, and much earlier than the rest of his compatriots. At 41, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran wanted to set an example by receiving his third dose of vaccine against Covid-19. This time of Pfizer, well six months after his second dose, of Moderna at the end of May, which had on the other hand greatly exceeded the six weeks after the first dose, of AstraZeneca in February.
“I took the opportunity to make in the same movement and in the other arm the vaccination against the flu”, specifies the minister, who intends to send “a signal”. The doctor has been campaigning for several days for the pace of the recall campaign to accelerate. For the time being, and while the figures for the epidemic are starting to rise again very slightly, about 2.5 million people out of the 6.8 million who can claim it have had their vaccine booster, six months after their last injection. This particularly concerns people over 65 living at home, those with serious illnesses and comorbidities, or residents in EHPADs and nursing staff.
Vaccinated Janssen difficult to touch
“But things are going up,” he observed, pointing to the current rate of “100,000 booster doses per day” and the increase in appointments. Thus, the over 65s are “mostly” vaccinated, says Olivier Véran, ie 64% of those living at home, 63% of those living in EHPAD, long-term care unit or independent residence. Among the most difficult to reach, those of all ages who have chosen to receive the Janssen vaccine as a single injection. That is to say a million people, of which only 20% have so far requested a new dose.
The government is still awaiting scientific recommendations concerning the integration of the booster into the health pass. According to the Minister of Health, who on this point asked the High Authority for Health, the steering committee for the vaccine strategy and the scientific council, the opinions should reach “in a few days”.