While the epidemic of Covid-19 brand in France, and that 120 vaccine projects are underway on the planet, a large part of the population awaits the arrival of a vaccine with impatience. But, at the same time, a non-negligible fraction of the French refuses it, already, in principle. Distrust in vaccination has made a comeback. To combat it, professor Alain Fischer, immunologist and co-founder of the Institute of genetic diseases, who chaired the citizen consultation on vaccination in 2016, has a few tracks. Maintenance.
The Point : Almost one French person in four says already not wanting to get vaccinated against the Covid-19 when this will be possible, according to a study recently published in the scientific journal The Lancet. The distrust towards the vaccination had she not declined in recent years in France ?
Professor Alain Fischer : Yes, and that's why this outcome is disturbing. It is a minority of the population, but it is important. For the past two years, the situation had improved markedly. Immunization coverage rates have started to increase regarding a number of vaccines like that against pneumococcal, or hepatitis B. it is Undeniably the work of a consultation held in 2016 and the decision of 2018, mandatory 11 pediatric vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae b, hepatitis b, meningococcal C, pneumococcal, measles, mumps and rubella) have been beneficial. This has allowed it to return to the vaccination, many parents hesitant. But, as we can see today, this has not done away with the mistrust or reluctance of vaccine. They reappear in the favor of this new pandemic.
In 2009, the vaccination campaign against the H1N1 pandemic flu has been a failure. How to avoid this happening again with a future vaccine against the Covid-19 ?
It is not necessary to reproduce the strategic errors of 2009. At the time, the government wanted to "militarize" the vaccination. It was then seen to appear a little across large interim centres are supposed to centralize all of the injections. It was to gain efficiency and to increase the rate of vaccinations, but this has excluded the general practitioners, and other caregivers. These are the ones who have the confidence of the patients. This centralized organization is the main reason for the failure of the vaccination campaign against the pandemic influenza. Finally, less than 8 % of French people were vaccinated. The lesson to be learned is that one cannot do without caregivers, to ensure the relay of the decisions of public health on the ground. If a vaccine or vaccines against the Covid-19 are developed, and can be manufactured in large quantities, it will be necessary to offer them everywhere ! In medical offices, in nursing, in pharmacy, in the schools... It is essential to multiply the points of contact between the population that has questions about the merits of this vaccination and the trained professionals to vaccination. This multiplies the chances of success of the campaign.
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There is an urgent need to expand from now on the obligation of vaccination against seasonal flu for all caregivers.
is there a Need for new obligations, vaccine ?
In the case where there would be a vaccine against the Covid-19, this does not seem feasible and it would not be desirable for the general population. This may not be accepted and may exacerbate the resistance. In contrast, for health professionals, it is an option to consider very seriously. Even so, I hope the caregivers will adhere themselves to the vaccination against the Covid-19 and that we will be able to go. This seems to me the more urgent it is to expand from now on the obligation of vaccination against seasonal flu for all caregivers. In fact, while the flu vaccine is just recommended today, it is known that they are only about a two to do it every year. We can't take the risk of facing a massive outbreak of flu in the coming autumn at the same time that a return of the Covid-19 if it had to exist. It is thus necessary to act very quickly and give itself the means to increase vaccination coverage of caregivers against influenza.
The pediatricians and the Academy of medicine are also concerned about a drop in the vaccination of children in recent months...
With containment, many parents have cancelled the immunization appointments for their children. The extension of the pandemic Covid-19 in France has clearly interrupted the upward trend of the rates of vaccination in infants and very young children. It is not too late to make a catch-up. And it is essential to do so quickly. Because, like the seasonal flu, we can't risk having to fight a measles epidemic within a few months, at the same time as a resurgence of cases of Covid-19. This really would be the double punishment !
