Illustrative image of a vaccination.

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Kuncoro Widyo Rumpoko / Pacific Pr

  • South Africa's decision was like a bombshell this weekend.

    The country has decided to suspend the AstraZeneca vaccine, deemed not to be effective enough against the variant that has appeared in the country.

  • A decision that questions in France, while this vaccine, less expensive, is perceived as a hope in the fight against the epidemic: should we anticipate the arrival of these variants and rework the French vaccine strategy?

  • "For now, we must not interrupt the current strategy, it is better to continue to vaccinate, it still remains effective on the major historical variant," warns infectious disease specialist Christian Rabaud.

The rapid arrival of vaccines had raised hope, it now causes doubts.

This weekend, South Africa suspended the injection of AstraZeneca vaccine, considered too ineffective against the variant that has appeared on its territory.

A result that is too low, with only 22% effectiveness in moderate Covid-19 cases, according to provisional figures from a study.

This is a new setback in the fight against the coronavirus, while this vaccine has just entered circulation in France and in Europe, and is now used as a priority to vaccinate caregivers.

Barely more than a month after the first vaccination in France, should we change our vaccination strategy?

Avoid "mistrust" and "immobility"

"We thought we were one step ahead and we are rather one step behind," regrets Christian Rabaud, infectious disease specialist at the Nancy CHRU.

But the specialist categorically excludes touching the French vaccine strategy.

“If we stop now, we're going to fall behind.

For now, we must not interrupt the current strategy, it is better to continue to vaccinate, it still remains effective on the majority historical variant.

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Even if the vaccine proves ineffective?

“These results should not generate mistrust of current vaccines.

If we stop it, the vaccination campaign, which we accuse of being too slow, will go even slower.

We cannot stand still because in two months, a new variant may have appeared.

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For Marie-Aline Bloch, researcher in management sciences at the School of Advanced Studies in Public Health (EHESP), adaptation to these new variants is already at work in France.

Several solutions could be considered.

“What we can imagine is a prime boost strategy: we can have a first vaccine injected and a booster from a second vaccine”.

This strategy, which consists of mixing different vaccines for the first dose and the boosters, is recommended by several health experts.

Always more responsiveness

Advantages of this solution: greater immunity supposed (but not yet demonstrated) and less strain on the vaccines, since they can be mixed.

Another measure to fight against the variant: revaccination.

Indeed, the South African study seems to confirm that the mutation of the virus can be transmitted to an already vaccinated population.

If the variant becomes the majority in France, those vaccinated in January may have to receive “new doses of effective vaccine”.

“Just because we have been vaccinated once does not mean that we will no longer be.

We could be revaccinated, ”says Christian Rabaud.

For him, the answer must also come from laboratories: "Manufacturers and researchers must adapt the vaccine as knowledge becomes available, but if we stop now, it will take time: there are two stages. incompressible: build the new vaccine and produce it because tensions over production are a major subject.

It will be necessary to know how to evolve according to the evolutions of the virus ”.

An opinion shared by Marie-Aline Bloch.

“This option requires great responsiveness from manufacturers.

In addition, there are companies that are also working on other longer-term strategies.

In France, Osivax is developing a universal vaccine, and the Nantes-based company Xénothera is working on drugs against the coronavirus, ”she says.

A strategy beyond borders

“We have to think about an overall strategy: develop efficient, rapid tests, barrier procedures, vaccination and research into treatments.

It is thanks to this combination that we will gradually be able to fight the epidemic.

“A measure already taken in France, while the Directorate General of Health has strengthened its protocols in the face of new variants, notably strengthening the isolation of patients or the closure of classes in the event of contamination with a variant.

But for the specialist, it is necessary to go further, and not to think in terms of borders.

“The problem is not in France, it is in the world.

This only reinforces the importance of a global strategy: if we only vaccinate Western countries, the virus will mutate in other countries and new variants are likely to appear.

This is why it is important to find vaccine strategies accessible to all ”.

AstraZeneca, much cheaper than Moderna and Pfizer / BioNTech vaccines, easier to transport, represented the hope of greater accessibility.

This Monday, the WHO immunization experts meet: given all the data at their disposal, they must make provisional recommendations on its use.

All hope is not lost.

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  • Covid 19

  • Health

  • Anti-covid vaccine

  • Coronavirus

  • Vaccination