On November 30, the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) published its vaccination recommendations and identified the target audiences to be vaccinated as a priority. Today, it provides additional details on the prioritization of target audiences such as people with disabilities, pregnant women or people who have already contracted Covid-19. Here is the main information.
Vaccination of vulnerable sub-populations but not prioritized because of their age
In a press release published on December 18, 2020, the Haute Autorité de Santé provides additional details about the prioritization of vaccination against Covid-19. The independent scientific public authority thus specifies that it “ does not exclude the possibility of considering, from the start of the vaccination campaign and on the basis of an assessment of the individual benefit / risk ratio, the vaccination of subpopulations not prioritized because of their age but particularly vulnerable and exposed to the COVID-19 “.
As examples, this may concern non-elderly subpopulations but presenting severe immune deficiencies, malignant hemopathies, renal insufficiency on dialysis, etc. In this case, it will be up to the doctor to assess on a case-by-case basis whether it is relevant to offer vaccination to people for whom the risks associated with Covid-19 appear to be major.
Vaccination of disabled people living in social and medico-social establishments
For people with disabilities accommodated in social and medico-social establishments not presenting co-morbidities and / or high age increasing the risk of severe form, the HAS reminds that they are, for the moment, not identified. as part of the priority population for the vaccine. The HAS nevertheless warns that this may change in the future if the epidemiological data justify it.
On the other hand, for people with Down’s syndrome and individuals with risky comorbidities, the HAS confirms that these patients must be considered as priority for being vaccinated because they are people identified as at risk of severe form or death.
Vaccination of pregnant women
The HAS also provided details on the vaccination of pregnant women, specifying that they are not part of the populations to be vaccinated as a priority. Once again, she recalls that this recommendation may lead to change ” if new scientific data allow it to be considered “.
Vaccination of people who have already contracted a symptomatic form of Covid-19
Finally, the HAS provided details for the vaccination of people who have already contracted a symptomatic form of Covid-19. According to experts “ To date, the data do not allow us to know whether there is any benefit in vaccinating people who have already been infected with SARS-CoV-2. On the other hand, the data available with an average follow-up of 3 months shows that there is no particular serious side effect when a person who has already had Covid-19 is vaccinated. “.
This is why the HAS does not recommend for the time being, vaccinating people who have already developed a symptomatic form of Covid-19. However, if these people still wish to be vaccinated and the doctor shares this opinion, the HAS recommends respecting a minimum period of 3 months from the onset of symptoms.
In any event, HAS recommends that ” people in contact with a case are tested to confirm or rule out a Covid-19 infection before considering vaccination “.
