Health Minister Olivier Véran gave a long interview to Journal du Dimanche, issued this April 11, 2021. The Minister detailed France’s vaccination campaign and addressed the health situation in the country. He also announced the time period between the injection of the two doses of vaccine will be extended to 42 days. A measure expected to enable to vaccinate more people, and quicker, the government stated.
Starting from mid-April, the government hopes to be able to boost the vaccination campaign in France. This past April 8, Jean Castex announced the country will reach 10 million of first doses injected. The next goal is to reach 20 million of Frenches vaccinated by May 15, and then 30 million as of June 15.
To do so, caregivers allowed to vaccinate must have enough vaccinal doses. The soon deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be of a great help.
But the government wishes to move even quicker. Véran announced that “starting April 14, for all first injections, we will propose a booster shot forty-two days later instead of twenty-eight. It will enable us to vaccinate faster without reducing protection, because vaccinated people’s average age and the immunity level of people under 70 years old is enough to extend the time period between the two injections without loss of opportunity”.
This measure only applies to messenger RNA vaccines, namely Pfizer and Moderna.
Even though at the beginning of the vaccination campaign all health authorities recommended not to allow too much time between the two injections, this measure is safe, the Health Minister says.
“Scientists now consider they have enough perspective, and many of our neighbors already do it. For fragile people, the time period can remain of twenty-eight days on medical advice”, Véran states.
According to the minister, this new method could “save 1.8 million injections from mid-May”. He also adds that rules will ease. It will be now possible (but not compulsory) to be given a first dose of Pfizer, and a second dose of Moderna, or the other way around. This blend of vaccine is yet only possible with messenger RNAs.
Furthermore, Véran also announced that the vaccination opens to people aged 55+, without comorbidities, starting Monday April 12, namely two months earlier than what the government initially scheduled. People involved can now make an appointment to be vaccinated.
