About 5 million people over the age of 55 have not yet been vaccinated against Covid-19. With the spread of the delta, or Indian, variant in the territory, the government fears this could cause a fourth wave.
- The government has adapted the vaccination rules for the summer, in particular by shortening the time between the two doses and by strengthening the tracing and isolation measures.
- More than 300,000 slots are available over the next three days for first injections.
The delta variant, formerly Indian, is progressing on the territory and represents around 10% of the contaminations, reported Gabriel Attal, the government spokesman on Wednesday. If it is more contagious than the other variants, the vaccines retain their effectiveness against it to prevent it from causing serious forms in infected people. Faced with its ever-increasing presence, the government reacted and adapted the vaccination rules for the summer, in particular by shortening the time between the two doses and by strengthening the tracing and isolation measures.
Vaccines, the best weapon against the delta variant
To limit the effects of the delta variant, the Ministry of Health on Tuesday called on seniors over 55 to get vaccinated. In total, more than 5 million are not vaccinated while more than 300,000 slots are available over the next three days for first injections. “We have the doses, we have the organization, we can’t miss this chance”, said a ministry official during a weekly press briefing.
The vaccine remains the best weapon against this variant. The first injection gives 70% efficiency and this rises to 90% after the second injection. That means “massive efficiency in containing the severe forms of the epidemic”, underlined the same source. In recent weeks, the delta variant has asserted itself all over the world. “It is present in 75 countries, is progressing in Europe and is clearly responsible for the epidemic rebound in the United Kingdom”, continued the ministry.
The “reactive” strategy
In an attempt to control the progression of this variant, the High Authority for Health (HAS) wants to adapt the vaccine strategy and advocates a “reactive” strategy. In a press release published on MondayHAS recommends that when a person is tested positive for a dangerous variant, everyone around them gets vaccinated as soon as possible. By entourage, the HAS means “all of the individuals in the household of the detected case, the people encountered on the workplace and/or school/university”.
The objective is to avoid contamination by rebound. Indeed, the incubation period of the virus being 5 days and the vaccine taking 12 days before being effective, the delay is too tight to protect those around you. On the other hand, by adopting this strategy, it makes it possible to prevent chains of contamination from developing without limit. This is what was done in Bordeaux at the end of May when a cluster appeared in the Bacalan district.
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