Summary:
What are the possible side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine?
Covid-19 vaccine: abroad, what are the reported side effects?
Vaccine against Covid-19 and allergy risks: the experts' recommendations
Are Covid-19 vaccines effective against different variants of the virus?
What vaccines against Covid-19 could be available in France?
Covid-19: who can benefit from the vaccine?
Vaccine against Covid-19 and allergy risks: the experts' recommendations
How to register to be vaccinated against Covid-19?
Can we delay the second injection of the vaccine against Covid-19?
Covid-19: what is the government's plan to speed up vaccination?
Who are the healthcare professionals who will be able to inject the vaccines?
Covid-19: will France face a vaccine shortage?
Covid-19: What are the differences between Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines?
Covid-19: will the vaccine be compulsory?
When can I get the Covid-19 vaccine?
Close monitoring of the Covid-19 vaccine
How do vaccines work?
The coronavirus has been circulating and spreading across the planet for over a year. The only solution to overcome it: a vaccine. This is why, since its discovery, scientists around the world have gone to great lengths to develop a vaccine against Covid-19. After several months of research, many laboratories in various countries have managed to develop vaccines against the coronavirus in record time. Their formulas have undergone clinical trials and some are now administered in several countries. The first serum authorized in Europe, by the European Medicines Agency and the European Commission, on December 21, is that of Pfizer and BioNTech. France received the first doses of this formula at the end of last December and began the first phase of vaccination on December 27, 2020.
What are the possible side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine?
Coronavirus vaccines can cause side effects, just like any vaccine, treatment, or medicine. While the list of side effects of these formulas is similar for the different anti-Covid vaccines used, some symptoms are specific to certain sera. This is the case with "high intensity influenza syndromes", that occur after the AstraZeneca vaccine is injected. The Medicines Agency (ANSM) reported on February 11 that 149 caregivers, who received the British vaccine, showed flu-like symptoms, sometimes severe. These side effects include high fever, body aches and headache. These statements were received by the agency between February 6 and 10.
According to the health authority, "Most cases have been reported in healthcare professionals with an average age of 34 (among around 10,000 patients vaccinated during this period)." The ANSM indicated that, so far, no statement equivalent to these has been recorded in other countries. The institution shared this information with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and clarified that "the health establishments are informed of this potential signal". She asks them as well "to vaccinate in a phased manner the personnel of the same service in order to limit the potential risk of disruption of the functioning of the care services."
On January 22, the ANSM published a report on the monitoring of vaccination against Covid-19 in France. The organization took into account the data from December 27, 2020 until January 19, 2021. This document was produced by the Regional Pharmacovigilance Centers of Marseille and Bordeaux.
According to the ANSM, 144 adverse effects were identified at the time of the report in 388,730 people who received the first injection of the vaccine. Most of the side effects identified are mild. The patients have had fever, body aches or headaches in particular.
In France, however, a few rare cases of serious side effects after a first injection have been recorded. The National Medicines Agency has indicated that 31 new serious side effects were observed in the territory with the Comirnaty vaccine from Pfizer / BioNTech. Four episodes of tachycardia and cases of allergic reactions were reported.
"Among these serious cases, 9 cases of death were reported. They were elderly people residing in EHPAD or in old age residences who all presented chronic diseases and heavy treatments. In view of the elements available to us to date, there is nothing to conclude that these deaths are linked to vaccination. These cases of death and the corresponding data are closely monitored as part of vaccine surveillance ", can we read in the press release. For the time being, no adverse effects linked to the Moderna vaccine have been recorded.
Covid-19 vaccine: abroad, what are the reported side effects?
In Norway, 13 deaths were recorded after the first injection of the Pfizer / BioNtech vaccine. While no strong link has been established between the vaccine and these deaths, the chief medical officer of the Norwegian Medicines Agency said that "reports could indicate that common side effects of mRNA vaccines, such as fever and nausea may have resulted in the death of certain fragile patients ". In the United States, an investigation is underway after the death of a 56-year-old gynecologist on January 4 from immunological thrombocytopenic purpura, when he had just been vaccinated.
In its first update on the surveillance of the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, published on December 31, i.e. after the first four days of vaccination, the ANSM listed the side effects observed in France. According to the agency's initial findings, the most common side effects, in participants aged 16 and over, are injection site pain, fatigue, headache, chills, muscle pain, and articular. Another side effect is fever, swelling and redness at the injection site. "These effects were generally mild or moderate in intensity and resolved within a few days of vaccination. A lower frequency of reactogenicity (the ability of a vaccine to produce common 'expected' adverse reactions) has been observed in the oldest subjects ", can we read in the ANSM press release.
Uncommon side effects identified include nausea, feeling sick, sleeplessness, itching at the injection site, swelling of the lymph nodes, pain in extremity. The ANSM also mentions that acute peripheral facial paralysis can occur but its onset after vaccination is rare.
These same side effects, namely pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, chills, fever, joint and muscle pain, which can occur after any vaccine, have also been identified by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a first analysis of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, published last December. Bell's palsy, which is a sudden weakness or paralysis of muscles on one side of the face, was also seen in four patients who received the vaccine. According to the analysis, this side effect disappeared in only one of the four volunteers.
What about the side effects of the vaccine developed by the moderna pharmaceutical group? In a statement, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorized its marketing in Europe and listed its side effects. "The most common side effects of Moderna's Covid vaccine were generally mild or moderate and improved within a few days after vaccination. The most common side effects are pain and swelling at the injection site, fatigue , chills, fever, swollen or tender lymph nodes under the arm, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting ", can we read in the press release.
Severe allergic reactions have also been reported by the ANSM. However, the frequency of this side effect was not known. Although these types of reactions are rare after the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine, they can still occur. As proof: on December 9, two caregivers had serious allergic reactions after the injection of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech in the United Kingdom. These people have had a history of acute allergic attacks.
In a statement, released Dec. 19, the American Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) said some individuals developed serious side effects, called "anaphylaxis," after injecting the vaccine. The CDC has clarified that these people should not receive the second dose. “If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable therapy, you should ask your doctor if you can get the Covid-19 vaccine. Your doctor will help you decide if you can get it. vaccinate safely ", advocated the American institution.
In a new statement, released Jan. 6, the CDC announced that one in approximately 100,000 people has suffered a severe allergic reaction after being vaccinated with the formula from Pfizer and BioNTech. "From December 14 to 23, 2020, monitoring by the Adverse Vaccine Reaction Reporting System detected 21 cases of anaphylaxis out of a total of 1,893,360 first injected doses of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine. BioNTech, 71% of these cases occurred within 15 minutes of vaccination ", the CDC said.
Vaccine against Covid-19 and allergy risks: the experts' recommendations
In a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), the French Federation of Allergology (FFAL) listed the people concerned by the contraindication for the administration of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine. "The vaccine is only contraindicated in patients with an allergy to polyethylene glycol (PEG), present in Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, or to polysorbate, present in Astra-Zeneca vaccine and in certain vaccines and drugs. ( …) All other patients with respiratory (pollen, mites …), food or drug allergy, including in their severe forms, are not affected by this contraindication and can be vaccinated ", detailed the organization.
Are Covid-19 vaccines effective against different variants of the virus?
Different variants of the coronavirus have been identified in several countries in recent months. These mutations are of particular concern to the British government, which for several days has expressed doubts about the effectiveness of vaccines against these new strains. British authorities fear that vaccines against the coronavirus will be less effective because of variants of the virus. "There is no certainty at this time. But, the government says it may be necessary to prepare for new vaccines every year, like with the flu," declared on FranceInfo, Mathieu Boisseau, journalist for France Televisions.
South Africa also doubts the effectiveness of vaccines against its variant. His doubts were confirmed by a study carried out by the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. This work revealed that the AstraZeneca vaccine would provide protection "limited" against the South African variant. The researchers of this study, carried out on 2,000 people, found that the neutralization of the South African variant by the British serum was considerably reduced compared to the "original" strain of the coronavirus. This is why the country has decided to temporarily suspend vaccinations against the coronavirus in the territory.
"These early data, which will be subject to scientific peer review, appear to confirm the theoretical observation that virus mutations seen in South Africa will allow continued transmission of the virus in vaccinated populations, as was recently reported. in people who have already been infected ", can one read in the results of the study published on February 7.
What about the effectiveness of other vaccines against Covid-19? The BioNTech laboratory announced on January 8 in a press release that its vaccine against Covid-19, developed with the firm Pfizer, was effective against the English and South African variants of the virus.
According to the pharmaceutical group, a study by Pfizer and the medical branch of the University of Texas (UTMB), the results of which were published on the bioRxiv preprint server, showed that "The antibodies of people who have received the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech effectively neutralize SARS-CoV-2 thanks to a key mutation that is also found in two highly transmissible strains."
The authors of the study were nevertheless keen to point out that the conclusions of the work are limited because they do not examine all the mutations found in the new variants of the virus. "We tested 16 different mutations, and none of them really had a significant impact. That's the good news. (…) That doesn't mean the 17 won't.", told Reuters, Phil Dormitzer, one of Pfizer's scientists specializing in viral vaccines.
What vaccines against Covid-19 could be available in France?
We all know: the vaccine against Covid-19 from Pfizer / BioNTech and that from Moderna can be administered in France. Another anti-Covid vaccine was validated on January 29 by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This is the formula developed by the British laboratory AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. Depending on the institution, people over 18 will be able to benefit from it. This vaccine has been deployed and administered in the United Kingdom since January 4. Argentina and India also authorized this vaccination in their countries at the beginning of January.
The European Medicines Agency explained that this third vaccine has been the subject of numerous studies. In total, four studies have evaluated its efficacy and safety. “These showed a 59.5% reduction in the number of symptomatic cases of Covid-19 in people who received the vaccine compared to people who received control injections. This means that the vaccine has been shown to be effective in 'around 60% in clinical trials ", read the press release released on January 29 by the EMA.
According to the agency, most of the participants in these studies were between 18 and 55 years old, "There are not enough results yet in older participants (over 55) to provide a number on how the vaccine will work in this group." This is why the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), which has also authorized the marketing of the AstraZeneca vaccine in France, does not recommend it for people over the age of 65. This strategy has also been adopted by several European countries.
The lack of data available on the effectiveness of this serum on seniors led the HAS to make a decision. The health authority has decided to restrict its use to individuals under the age of 65. "The HAS recommends offering this vaccine to all professionals in the health and medico-social sector under the age of 65, as well as to people aged 50 to 64, starting with those with comorbidities. ", she said in a press release on February 2. “
At a press conference on February 4, Jean Castex presented the vaccine strategy for the AstraZeneca vaccine. According to the Prime Minister, the first doses will be delivered at the end of the week. From Saturday, caregivers will be able to receive the vaccine "This will allow us to speed up the pace of vaccination. Thanks to this new vaccine, we will be able to reach the target of 4 million people having received their first injection by the end of February ", detailed Jean Castex.
Many countries have taken an interest and been tempted by the Russian Sputnik vaccine. Its effectiveness has been estimated at 91.6%, according to results published in the medical journal The Lancet, this February 2. Faced with the lack of doses in France, could the government also consider obtaining them? Emmanuel Macron, explained, this February 2, on TF1 that the Russian formula will not be distributed on the territory "as long as the Russian producer has not submitted an application for marketing authorization". "The minute he submits it, as soon as possible, the European authorities and our national authorities will scientifically examine this vaccine, independently, and, depending on these results and the evidence, approve it or not", said the head of state.
In this interview with TF1, the President of the Republic also announced that four pharmaceutical sites in France will start manufacturing vaccines against Covid-19 "from the end of February, the beginning of March", for "produce even more". They will work for the Pfizer / BioNTech, Curevac and Moderna groups.
Another existing anti-Covid vaccine: that of the Chinese pharmaceutical group Sinopharm. The laboratory announced on December 30 that one of its vaccines against the coronavirus was 79.43% effective, a lower effectiveness rate than that of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine (95%). On December 31, China announced that it was approving its release, but under certain conditions. Egypt has also authorized the vaccine developed by the Chinese giant.
Covid-19: who can benefit from the vaccine?
On February 2, the head of state revealed that "by the end of the summer, we will have offered all French adults who so wish a vaccine", "exactly the same rate as our German neighbors and our other European neighbors." His announcement echoes that of the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran. The latter had announced on RTL, on January 5, that French people who wanted to be vaccinated will be able to do so, but they will have to register.
"We will open in the coming days a possible registration for French people who want it by internet, by phone no doubt, and why not by the application 'TousAntiCovid'; so that the French who wish to be vaccinated can let it know, register and can make appointments ", he specified. At the same time, he let it be known that vaccination was extended to "firefighters and home helpers over 50".
The people who can already receive the coronavirus vaccine are those vulnerable to Covid-19 and those most likely to develop severe forms of the disease. Among these priority people, we find the elderly living in residential establishments, such as nursing homes and long-term care units (USLD), and the professionals who work there and are at high risk of catching the virus. Priority is also given to individuals over the age of 75 and those over 65 suffering from pathologies. Healthcare professionals aged 50 and over and / or with one or more comorbidities can also receive the vaccine.
During a press conference on January 14, the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, and Olivier Véran, announced that patients suffering from certain chronic diseases will be able to be vaccinated, from this Monday, in the same way as the elderly of over 75 years old. "I decided to open the vaccination to people, whatever their age, with one of the pathologies leading to a very high risk of severe form of the disease from Monday, January 18", said Jean Castex. These latter "must have a medical prescription from their attending physician to benefit from the vaccination without age criteria", specified the Health Insurance.
This expansion of vaccination to chronically ill patients, "for which the medical profession considers there to be an 'ultra high priority'", was pleaded by the chairman of the vaccine strategy orientation council, Alain Fischer, on January 12 at the National Assembly. "Patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, patients with chronic renal failure, transplant recipients, individuals with trisomy 21" must benefit from the vaccine this Monday, developed Alain Fischer.
How to register to be vaccinated against Covid-19?
From January 18, French people over 75 living outside accommodation establishments, such as nursing homes, will be able to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The latter will be vaccinated in vaccination centers. But how do you make an appointment? There are several options available to these seniors. The individuals concerned can register, either by telephone on 0800 009 110 (a toll-free number open every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), or on the Internet via one of the three partner sites, namely Doctolib, Maiia and Keldoc or the government platform sante.fr.
Covid-19 vaccine: why the Academy of Medicine opposes dose spacing
We all know: two doses of the Covid-19 vaccines must be injected into patients. They must be received 21 days apart, or 3 weeks, for the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine and 28 days apart, i.e. 4 weeks, for the Moderna formula, according to the American Center for Prevention and Control. disease control (CDC).
However, some countries, such as Denmark or the United Kingdom, are considering extending the time between the two doses to vaccinate more people. This is also the case for France. During a press conference on the Covid-19 epidemic in France on January 7, Minister of Health Olivier Véran said that ’"it is possible, without risk and without loss of efficacy, to postpone the second injection of the vaccine" by Pfizer-BioNTech "up to six weeks instead of three". "This allows us to have more doses available immediately", he continued.
But the Academy of Medicine has warned that this spacing of doses is not without risk. "In the current context of epidemic upsurge, it is the persistence of a low, or even insufficient, immunity rate during the additional weeks preceding the second injection that must be taken into consideration", the Academy reported in a Jan. 11 advisory.
According to the Academy of Medicine, this measure has its limits from both a collective and individual point of view. "At the collective level, obtaining an extended vaccination coverage, but weakened by a low level of immunity, will constitute a favorable ground for selecting the emergence of one or more variants escaping the immunity induced by the vaccination ", can we read in his opinion. On an individual level, postponing the second injection may prolong the aggravation by "facilitating antibodies", that is, when the infection occurs in a person with low levels of neutralizing antibodies.
The Academy of Medicine believes that spacing out the time between the two doses has more risks than benefits. It therefore recommends respecting the vaccination schedule prescribed by the manufacturer as much as possible and only delaying the injection of the second dose. "if the circumstances so require and without exceeding 3 weeks". Another recommendation: this spacing of doses should be reserved for people under the age of 50 and who are not likely to develop severe forms of the disease. The Academy of Medicine insists on the need to apply barrier gestures.
Can we delay the second injection of the Covid-19 vaccine?
This possibility envisaged by some countries was made possible by the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 5, but in certain cases. According to Alejandro Cravioto, chairman of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, WHO experts have indicated that the second dose of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine should be given within 3 to 4 weeks, but that this delay may be delayed for a few weeks "in exceptional circumstances of epidemiological contexts and supply constraints". According to the WHO, this period should not exceed six weeks. This strategy could allow "to maximize the number of people benefiting from a first dose", Alejandro Cravioto said at a press conference.
The National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) issued an opinion on January 7 in which it also specifies that "This flexibility of administration of the 2nd dose between 21 and 42 days can be considered in view of the specific current circumstances in order to expand the vaccination coverage of priority people and cope with supply fluctuations". But the agency warned, in the same notice, that "There is no evidence that a second dose given beyond 42 days retains the medium to long term efficacy of the vaccine."
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) also estimated that it was possible to delay the administration of the second injection by 6 weeks. But she insisted on this delay because beyond it the vaccine may no longer be effective.
But is the space between injections really safe? The BioNTech laboratory warned on January 5 that the maximum effectiveness of its anti-Covid vaccine was not demonstrated if the second dose is postponed. "Although data shows that there is partial protection as early as 12 days after the first dose, there is no data that shows that protection remains in place beyond 21 days", said a spokesperson for the pharmaceutical group.
"In the absence of appropriate data justifying such changes in vaccine delivery, we run a significant risk of endangering public health, by undermining historic vaccination efforts aimed at protecting the population against Covid-19", alerted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a statement.
Covid-19: what is the government's plan to speed up vaccination?
The French government's vaccination strategy has been under fire from critics for several weeks. Faced with the many negative opinions, the government decided to move up a gear. Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on January 7, during a press conference on the Covid-19 epidemic in France, that people over the age of 75 will be able to be vaccinated "from Monday January 18th".
The head of government specified that the vaccinations of these individuals residing outside nursing homes "will take place in vaccination centers" because "one center per department has already been opened", or in total, "100 in the territory". He specified that the number of vaccination centers in France would increase from Monday. "There will be 300, then 600 gradually until the end of January", he continued.
Who are the healthcare professionals who will be able to inject the vaccines?
Nurses working in nursing homes can inject the vaccine directly into the elderly. For the next steps, general practitioners should be able to carry out the vaccinations. "Everyone will be able to be vaccinated by a health professional near their home that they know and in whom they trust", added Jean Castex during his televised address on December 3.
Les pharmaciens, qui ont été mis à l’écart de cette campagne de vaccination, pourront aussi bientôt vacciner les patients. Leur entrée dans le circuit vaccinal pourrait se faire à la fin du mois de janvier, "lorsque le vaccin AstraZeneca commencera à être administré", a indiqué à L’Obs une source au ministère.
Covid-19 : la France sera-t-elle confrontée à une pénurie de vaccins ?
Alors que le gouvernement compte accélérer la vaccination en France, en l’élargissant à un plus grand nombre de Français, une question se pose : y-aura-t-il suffisamment de doses pour tout le monde ? Pour l’heure, la France possède environ un million de doses du vaccin développé par les laboratoires Pfizer et BioNTech et elle devrait recevoir 500.000 doses du même vaccin chaque semaine.
Au total, la France a commandé 225 millions de doses, par la voie de l’Union européenne, auprès de six laboratoires. "Six contrats ont déjà été signés, ça fait plus de deux milliards de doses, c’est considérable. Cela permet de couvrir toute la population progressivement, donc il n’y aura pas de pénurie mais tout n’arrivera pas en un seul jour", a déclaré à Cnews, ce 6 janvier, Clément Beaune, secrétaire d’Etat aux Affaires européennes.
Parmi les laboratoires en question, on retrouve le groupe pharmaceutique Moderna, qui s’est vu autorisé la mise sur le marché de son vaccin en Europe, ce 6 janvier, par l’Agence européenne des médicaments (EMA) et la Commission européenne. La Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) vient également de donner son feu, ce 8 janvier, pour l'autorisation du vaccin de Moderna en France. L'institution estime qu'il "peut être utilisé chez les personnes de 18 ans et plus, y compris les plus âgées du fait de son efficacité et de son profil de tolérance globalement satisfaisant."
À compter de ce 11 janvier, 50.000 doses du vaccin développé par la firme pharmaceutique Moderna sont livrées en France "pour renforcer la capacité vaccinale dans les zones les plus touchées par l’épidémie", a précisé le ministère de la Santé, dans un communiqué publié ce 10 janvier.
"Le ministre de la santé a souhaité, une fois la livraison vérifiée par les pharmaciens partenaires de Santé publique France, que ces doses supplémentaires puissent bénéficier en priorité aux régions dans lesquelles l’épidémie est la plus active : Grand Est, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, et Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur", peut-on lire dans le communiqué. Les établissements de santé et les centres de vaccination ouverts, qui seront approvisionnés en premier, sont ceux de Mulhouse, Colmar, Strasbourg, Reims, Nancy, Metz, Lons-le-Saunier, Besançon, Dijon, Moulins, Nice et Toulon.
Covid-19 : quelles sont les différences entre les vaccins de Moderna et de Pfizer ?
Dans la course aux vaccins contre la Covid-19, on retrouve les laboratoires Pfizer et BioNTech et le groupe pharmaceutique Moderna. Ces deux vaccins ont des profils assez similaires. Ils emploient la nouvelle technologie de l’ARN messager, qui consiste à utiliser une séquence génétique du coronavirus (ARN M). Cette information génétique est injectée dans une cellule. Cela va permettre à l’organisme de fabriquer les protéines du virus, ce qui va déclencher une réponse immunitaire.
Lors des essais cliniques, ces deux vaccins se sont montrés efficaces. Deux doses du vaccin Pfizer/BioNTech ont "conféré une protection de 95% contre la Covid-19 chez les personnes de 16 ans ou plus", avait indiqué les laboratoires Pfizer et BioNTech dans une étude publiée le 10 décembre dernier dans The New England Journal of Medicine. Le vaccin de Moderna "a montré une efficacité de 94,1 % dans la prévention des maladies à la Covid-19, y compris les formes graves de la maladie", peut-on lire dans une étude parue le 30 décembre dernier dans la même revue.
Si ces deux vaccins présentent une efficacité globale assez similaire, ce taux est différent en ce qui concerne les personnes de plus de 65 ans. Le vaccin développé par les laboratoires Pfizer et BioNTech est plus efficace pour cette catégorie de la population. Pour les plus de 65 ans, son efficacité est estimée à 94,5% tandis que celui de Moderna s’est montré efficace à 86,4%.
Leur dosage est également différent. La formule du vaccin de Moderna est plus concentrée. Et pour cause, lorsque celui de Pfizer/BioNTech est injecté, le patient reçoit 30 µg d'ARNm dans 0,3 ml de solution saline, tandis qu’une personne reçoit 100 µg dans 0,5 ml de solution saline quand elle est vaccinée avec la formule de Moderna. Autre différence : l'intervalle entre les deux doses. Selon le Centre américain de prévention et de contrôle des maladies (CDC), les deux doses doivent être reçues à 21 jours d'écart pour le vaccin Pfizer/BioNTech et à 28 jours d'écart pour la formule de Moderna.
Les deux vaccins doivent être conservés à des températures basses mais la formule de Modera est plus simple à conserver car elle peut l’être à moins 20 degrés. Celle de Pfizer/BioNTech doit être conservée à moins 80 degrés. Le vaccin de Moderna est aussi plus facile à stocker. Dans un communiqué, la firme pharmaceutique a spécifié que son vaccin peut être conservé "pendant 6 mois à – 20°C, y compris jusqu'à 30 jours dans des conditions normales de réfrigération (soit de 2 à 8°C) après décongélation". La formule de Pfizer et BioNTech doit, quant à elle, être conservée dans un congélateur. "Après un stockage de 30 jours maximum dans le chargeur thermique Pfizer, les centres de vaccination peuvent transférer les flacons dans des conditions de stockage de 2 à 8 °C pendant cinq jours supplémentaires, pour un total de 35 jours maximum. Une fois décongelés et stockés dans des conditions de 2 à 8 °C, les flacons ne peuvent pas être recongelés ou stockés dans des conditions de congélation", a signalé le groupe dans un communiqué.
Covid-19 : le vaccin sera-t-il obligatoire ?
Les Français sont encore très méfiants vis-à-vis du vaccin contre la Covid-19. Selon un sondage Ifop, réalisé pour le Journal du Dimanche fin novembre, 59% des Français ne comptent pas "se faire vacciner. lorsque cela deviendra possible". Dans son allocution du 24 novembre, Emmanuel Macron a précisé qu’il ne rendrait pas obligatoire le vaccin contre le virus. "La vaccination doit se faire de manière claire, transparente, en partageant à chaque étape toutes les informations : ce que nous savons, comme ce que nous ne savons pas", a assuré le président de la République. La Haute Autorité de Santé a également indiqué qu’elle ne souhaite pas rendre "à ce stade" la vaccination obligatoire "que ce soit pour la population générale ou pour les professionnels de santé".
Quand pourrais-je me faire vacciner contre la Covid-19 ?
Depuis fin décembre, les personnes âgées vivants dans des établissements d’hébergement ainsi que les professionnels qui y travaillent et présentent un risque élevé de contracter le virus (plus de 65 ans avec/ou une pathologie chronique) peuvent se faire vacciner. "Avant la fin du mois de janvier, nous autoriserons la vaccination des personnes âgées de 75 ans et plus qui ne sont pas en établissement, qui sont en ville, à la maison", a indiqué à RTL, ce 5 janvier, Olivier Véran. Les pompiers et les aides à domicile de plus de 50 ans peuvent aussi désormais recevoir le vaccin. Les Français qui souhaitent se faire vacciner pourront aussi s'inscrire pour prendre rendez-vous "dans les prochains jours".
Une surveillance étroite du vaccin contre la Covid-19
En France, l’Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé (ANSM) a assuré que la surveillance vaccinale serait renforcée. La plateforme signalement-sante.gouv.fr est prévue pour signaler les éventuels effets indésirables identifiés après une vaccination.
Lors de la campagne de vaccination contre la Covid-19, l’ANSM instaurera un dispositif afin de repérer les effets secondaires. Ce système s’ajoutera au plan de gestion des risques lancé par l’Agence européenne du médicament. Il reposera sur :
- l’analyse des effets indésirables déclarés par des professionnels de santé et des patients au système national et européen de pharmacovigilance
- la conduite d’études de pharmaco-épidémiologie
- l’appui à des projets de recherche notamment via leur financement.
"Une enquête de pharmacovigilance sera mise en place avec l’implication de plusieurs centres régionaux sur le territoire national. Cette mobilisation exceptionnelle permettra de surveiller en temps réel le profil de sécurité des vaccins chez la population vaccinée à partir des déclarations réalisées. Si un signal de sécurité est identifié, il sera analysé collégialement dans le cadre d’un comité de suivi hebdomadaire mis en place par l’ANSM notamment avec les centres de pharmacovigilance", a également souligné l’Agence nationale du médicament.
Comment fonctionnent les vaccins ?
Le vaccin de Pfizer/BioNTech repose sur une nouvelle technique : l’ARN messager. Les scientifiques ont utilisé une séquence génétique du coronavirus (ARN M) et ils l’ont injectée dans une cellule. Cette dernière exploite alors l’ARN M pour fabriquer la protéine virale Spike qui va faire réagir le système immunitaire.
"C'est une première. Mais là aussi on ne part pas de rien. Cela fait vingt ans que l'on teste cette technologie, y compris sur l'homme dans le cadre de projets en développement. On a donc du recul. Et je tiens à rassurer tous ceux qui s'inquiéteraient : ce vaccin ne modifie en aucun cas votre ADN. Il n'affecte en rien le programme génétique dont notre corps est doté", a déclaré David Lepoittevin au Parisien.
Il est nécessaire de laisser 21 jours d’écart entre la première et la seconde injection du vaccin Pfizer/BioNTech. Le Professeur Paul Hunter et le Docteur Julii Brainard, deux chercheurs de l’Université d’East Anglia (Royaume-Uni), ont observé des données de la campagne massive de vaccination en Israël. Selon les chercheurs britanniques, une première inoculation du vaccin Pfizer/BioNTech garantirait une immunité de 90% juste avant l’administration de la deuxième dose à 21 jours. Leur analyse n’a cependant pas été relue et validée par un comité scientifique.
Ces résultats viennent à l’encontre de ceux du laboratoire Pfizer/BioNTech. Le fabricant a estimé l’efficacité d’une première dose à 52%. D’après les scientifiques britanniques, il faudrait attendre quelques jours avant que l’immunité progresse. "Nous avons établi que l'efficacité du vaccin était à peu près nulle jusqu'au quatorzième jour suivant son administration. Mais après ce jour 14, l'immunité s'élevait progressivement au jour le jour jusqu'à atteindre environ 90% au jour 21, puis ne montait pas plus haut. Toutes les améliorations observées l'ont été avant une seconde injection", a expliqué le Professeur Paul Hunter au Guardian.
Pour les chercheurs, cette analyse a prouvé qu’une "seule dose de vaccin est hautement protectrice même s’il faut attendre 21 jours pour obtenir ce taux". Ils ont cependant constaté que les contaminations ont doublé au cours des huit premiers jours suivant la première injection. Selon les scientifiques, ce phénomène s’expliquerait par un relâchement des gestes de barrière ou de la distanciation sociale.
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