• While France is currently undergoing a fifth epidemic wave of coronavirus, nursing homes, thanks to the anti-Covid vaccination, are protected from the virus.

  • To date, and in the midst of the campaign for the booster dose, only a few contaminations with asymptomatic or moderate forms have been identified, making it possible to approach the end of year celebrations with serenity.

  • But immunization coverage must still improve, among residents and the staff who work alongside them.

We did not want to believe it, yet it is there. She, the fifth wave of coronavirus, which casts a gloomy shadow over the end of the year celebrations. Monday, at the end of a Health Defense Council, the Prime Minister announced a series of measures and "proportionate efforts" to overcome this major rebound. Fortunately, “no gauge, no curfew, no containment” are currently envisaged. The government, on the other hand, called on the population not to relax the barrier gestures and to receive their booster dose.

And unlike a year earlier, no restrictions are on the agenda in nursing homes, thanks to high vaccination coverage in these establishments.

Campaign for the booster dose, family visits, festive activities: how do they combine the end-of-year celebrations with the time of the fifth wave?

"The best protected ecosystem in France" thanks to the vaccine

Since the arrival of the anti-Covid vaccination, in nursing homes, it's day and night. Or rather, day after night. Because if these establishments welcoming dependent elderly people paid a very heavy price during the first two waves, the launch at the end of 2020 of the vaccination campaign has changed the situation. "As of November 30, 94% of residents in Ehpad or USLD (long-term care unit) had received at least one dose of vaccine, 92.6% were completely vaccinated," indicates Public Health France. And to date, "nearly 60% of nursing home residents have received their booster dose, as part of the campaign launched in September," said Florence Arnaiz-Maumé, general delegate of Synerpa, the union private nursing homes, this Tuesday during a press conference.

Consequence: "we note that this device works, since in our establishments, the Covid-19 reappears, but always in asymptomatic or moderate forms, and few health difficulties are noted", reassured Florence Arnaiz-Maumé. Thus, “nursing homes are to date the best protected ecosystem in France, by the effect of the vaccine, between the compulsory vaccination of employees and the campaign for the booster dose of residents, and barrier measures, observes Yann Reboulleau. We saw the radical effects of vaccination from the third wave, which did not affect nursing homes. And in this fifth wave, the virus is hardly a subject anymore, it hardly causes any deaths. But obviously, we remain vigilant ”.

Vigilance that always goes through an active vaccination campaign, while around 40% of residents have, mathematically, still not received this booster dose.

"We want to maintain this dynamic vaccination policy and improve the booster dose figures," added Florence Arnaiz-Maumé.

Figures which could appear low, but which can be explained by "the arrival of new residents vaccinated late, and who are therefore not yet eligible for the booster dose", she stressed.

"For them, the booster dose, scheduled five months after the last dose, is not yet indicated, but it will be administered to them in the next few weeks," says Yann Reboulleau.

Vigilant visitors subject to the health pass

With this vaccination coverage so high, "residents are up to date with their health pass," smiles Yann Reboulleau. And to maintain this bubble of protection around them, "visitors are subject to the health pass," recalled Florence Arnaiz-Maumé. A pass that must include the booster dose for those over 65 from December 15, and from January 15 for the general population "over 18 years old.

After months of severe restrictions at the height of the first two waves, “in general, visitors are very aware of vaccination and were vaccinated as soon as they could, observes Yann Reboulleau. Since the entry into force of the health pass in August, I have not had a problem, and the children who come to visit their elders are very careful to protect them and wear the mask without any concern ”.

The “concern” that could emerge in the coming weeks is that the booster dose does not take within nursing home staff.

To date, "about 15% have received it", mainly those who had started their vaccination schedule relatively early, said Florence Arnaiz-Maumé.

Since October 15, nursing home employees are only required to have received two doses, otherwise they will no longer be able to work.

For the time being, the public authorities have not planned to force them to the third dose, she lamented.

The question will arise differently when employees more reluctant to vaccination, who waited for the fall to receive their first two doses, will be concerned, she analyzed.

Maintain end-of-year celebrations with confidence

This question of a possible vaccination obligation is all the more central since in this month of December, "there is a stake at the end of the year: we wish to be able to maintain the Christmas holidays", insisted Florence Arnaiz-Maumé. , recalling that since the end of spring, "we have returned to normal in terms of activities and visits".

And with less than three weeks before New Year's Eve, one thing is certain: “in nursing homes, we are not going to spoil Christmas!

We have also planned a program as before the Covid-19, with entertainment, festive meals, confirms Yann Reboulleau.

Families will be able to come and see their loved ones, and residents will be able to spend the holidays with their families ”.

After a much less joyful Christmas 2020, "we are very keen to keep our nursing homes open for the holidays, always respecting barrier gestures", declare Yann Reboulleau and Florence Arnaiz-Maumé.

To date in France, 10 million French people have received their booster dose.

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  • epidemic

  • Anti-covid vaccine

  • The elderly

  • Covid 19

  • Ehpad

  • Health

  • Coronavirus

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