Covid-19: the epidemic is regaining ground, should we get vaccinated again before summer?

The Covid-19 virus is still around. Recently, we have seen a resumption of the epidemic, with a slight increase in visits to emergency departments for suspected Covid-19 (+ 8% all ages).

If these figures remain “at a lower level than those of previous years”, according to the national public health agency, the resumption of the epidemic raises questions: before the Euro football, the Olympics, the summer holidays, Are we still protected? And should we get vaccinated again?

Recommended vaccination for people at risk

During the peak of the Covid-19 epidemic, a major vaccination campaign made it possible to administer several doses to the French. If you have received three doses of vaccine during this period, you probably consider yourself protected and that it is no longer necessary to receive a dose, even if the epidemic resumes.

Vaccination campaigns are regularly carried out so that people at risk receive booster doses regularly, like the flu. It is possible to receive a booster dose six months after another dose, or a Covid-19 infection.

If you are not a person at risk, “the booster dose is not particularly recommended, it mainly targets people over 65 and who have comorbidities and pregnant women”, specifies Yves Buisson, epidemiologist contacted by the editorial staff. People who live in contact with these people at risk can also receive a booster dose.

These people should have been vaccinated during the fall 2023 booster campaign, but the vaccination rate was very low even among the most at-risk people, who are even recommended a second booster in the spring.

So, like the flu, it is recommended to have Covid-19 vaccine boosters once a year. “What is good is that messenger RNA vaccines adapt to the virus that is circulating,” explains Yves Buisson.

Possible arrival of variants due to the Olympics

However, if a person is not in the target and wishes to receive a booster, they can benefit from it free of charge, specifies Health Insurance. And vaccination is 100% covered for everyone.

Because perhaps you are worried that you are no longer sufficiently protected as the big summer events approach. “We cannot be certain that there will be an epidemic, but we must know that the Covid virus continues to circulate. We can fear that the mixing of populations which will be caused by the Olympic Games will lead to the arrival of variants which do not circulate in our territory,” anticipates Yves Buisson.

Clearly, if a new variant takes hold in Île-de-France, it risks spreading, “and we cannot do anything about it, we will just have to protect people at risk through vaccination”, recommends the epidemiologist.

In any case, even if there is a rebound in the epidemic, it will never be like 2 or 3 years ago because most of the population has some basic immunity. We are in the endemic phase and no longer in the pandemic phase now.

Although there are no longer any vaccination centers since the campaigns ended, it is very easy to go and get vaccinated at a pharmacy or at your doctor’s office.

How do I know what my vaccination schedule is?

Since June 30, 2023, the Tous Anti Covid application, which allowed you to follow your vaccination schedule – and to have your health pass, when it was still in force – has been paused.

So how do you now know how many doses of vaccine you have already received, and when was your last vaccination?

“We know all that about Ameli,” replied a laboratory contacted. “If you have a personal space on the Health Insurance website. We have our accessible vaccination pass, we can even download it. »

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