AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19.
-
Gustavo Valiente / SPUTNIK / SIPA
After the occurrence of a few cases of serious bleeding disorders that could be linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the latter was suspended in several European countries, before being reauthorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
France lifted its suspension immediately, but now recommends reserving this serum for people over 55, pending availability of additional data.
In practice, this means fewer vaccines for young healthcare workers, who are now eligible only for messenger RNA sera.
But is there enough to vaccinate everyone?
Out of play. At the start of last week, in the wake of several other European countries, France decided to suspend vaccination against the coronavirus with AstraZeneca, suspected of being linked to cases of thrombosis occurring in relatively youth.
She then relied on the opinion of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Last Thursday, the European regulator wanted to be reassuring, indicating that the vaccine, "safe and effective", "is not associated" with a higher risk of blood clots.
As of Friday, France therefore re-authorized it.
But its administration methods have changed: it is now reserved for over 55s *.
A preventive withdrawal that risks slowing the vaccination of caregivers?
Young caregivers eligible for messenger RNA vaccines
Pending "additional data" on the possible links between AstraZeneca and the increased risk of developing coagulation disorders, the precautionary principle remains in place.
"The HAS recommends using messenger RNA vaccines in people eligible for vaccination under the age of 55," said the public authority in a notice published on Friday.
"It is a provisional opinion, a preventive recommendation pending additional data, insists the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
In which case, the HAS could re-widen the vaccine target ”.
While waiting for a turnaround or the arrival in France of the Janssen vaccine, Pfizer and Moderna are therefore for the moment the only two serums injected into caregivers under the age of 55.
Enough to satisfy the volunteers to be vaccinated, but - like a part of the population - reluctant in the face of the English vaccine.
"The AstraZeneca vaccine continues to be considered significantly less safe than those of Pfizer and Moderna," observes the YouGov polling institute.
On the side of caregivers, this new recommendation "is a great relief, because we felt that AstraZeneca was less protective, says Thierry Amouroux, spokesperson for the National Union of Nursing Professionals (SNPI), even if we remain mostly convinced of its interest in the general population.
But in the hospital, it's different: we are exposed on a daily basis to infected people, therefore to a significant viral load, and we have to manage cases of the South African variant, against which AstraZeneca does not protect enough.
In addition, with side effects an influenza-like illness that knocked out especially the youngest caregivers for 48 hours, causing disruption, the consequences of vaccination with AstraZeneca in services already more than just in time became complicated to manage ”, adds he said, welcoming “this new eligibility for messenger RNA vaccines”.
"For caregivers, it is the cross and the banner to be vaccinated"
But in practice, is it easy for a young caregiver to be vaccinated with the serum from Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna?
Today, "for caregivers, it is the cross and the banner, there are not enough doses and the vaccination is not going fast enough, deplores Dr Christophe Prudhomme, spokesperson for the Association of emergency physicians of France (AMUF).
Obviously, with the multiple delays in deliveries, the reality is that the Pfizer vaccine is not available in mass, which does not allow a massive and effective campaign to be carried out, in the general population as well as among caregivers under 55 years.
Each dose is counted, and in this context of shortage, many caregivers do not consider themselves a priority ”.
With messenger RNA vaccines reserved primarily for over 75s, this is not necessarily easy.
To date, in this population, one in two seniors (50%) has received their first dose of vaccine.
And they are only 24% to have received their two doses, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health.
Not to mention that the government wants to speed up its vaccination campaign.
“Health professionals under the age of 55 eligible for vaccination will be able to receive Pfizer or Moderna, however responds to
20 minutes
the Ministry of Health.
This decision will be compatible with the increase in the number of doses that will be delivered from the end of March and in April.
So yes, they can be vaccinated if they want.
Most of the regional health agencies are in working order.
And the caregivers can go to be vaccinated in the vaccination centers ”.
In short: it is possible, but it will be especially so when the stocks of messenger RNA vaccines have been replenished.
How many doses in stock?
Exactly, how many doses of messenger RNA vaccine does France have in stock?
"As of March 21, there are about 982,000 according to the following distribution: 682,000 from Pfizer-BioNTech and 300,000 from Moderna," responded to
20 minutes
the Directorate General of Health (DGS).
In practice, “we are just in time with Pfizer, with a utilization rate of 90%.
So in reality, we are close to zero stock ”for this serum, specifies the Ministry of Health.
In addition, a large number of vials must be secured to ensure the injection of the second dose of those over 75 years of age, within three to four weeks after the first.
But a ramp-up in France of deliveries of Pfizer is expected during the second quarter, with 200 million doses of the American-German serum expected by the EU.
“We expect large delivery volumes in the coming weeks,” assures the DGS.
They must allow the vaccination of as many volunteers as possible, including caregivers under the age of 55, ”she promises.
In April, France should thus receive more than 8.5 million doses of messenger RNA vaccine, and continue to ramp up its deliveries in the following months.
To date, around 45% of caregivers have received at least one dose of the vaccine, or more than one million people.
"They are 336,000 to have received from AstraZeneca, 23,000 from Moderna, and 683,000 from Pfizer," said the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
Health
Vaccination: The AstraZeneca vaccine reserved for over 55s in France, announces the Haute Autorité de Santé
Health
Coronavirus: "I received the AstraZeneca vaccine from the batch implicated in the death of a nurse"
* With an AstraZeneca vaccine currently reserved for over 55s, what will happen to young caregivers who have already received a first dose of the Anglo-Swedish vaccine?
"We have seized the High Authority of Health (HAS), which will position itself very soon on the modalities of administration of the second dose", responds to
20 minutes
the Ministry of Health.
For its part, the HAS recalls in its opinion published Friday "that an interval of 12 weeks is to be observed between the two doses".
The time for her to analyze "the pharmacovigilance data to come, with more hindsight on the AstraZeneca vaccine, in particular in people under 55 years old".
AstraZeneca
Anti-covid vaccine
Covid 19
Vaccination
Health