French Health Authority Debates COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters

After the advice of the Strategic Vaccination Orientation Council and the Scientific Council, the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron announced on July 12, 2021, the establishment of a vaccination booster campaign at the start of the school year in September among people who have been vaccinated in priority from January 2021, which represent the most vulnerable and oldest population.

The French health authority Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS) announced on July 16, 2021, 'a first opinion on the evaluation of the clinical relevance of a booster injection in the general population.'

'While it seems very likely that a booster injection will indeed provide a boost effect (whether with the same vaccine, a vaccine using another platform, or even a vaccine suitable for the variants of concern), the data available to date do not allow a precise assessment of the impact or the need for such a booster on the prevention of vaccine failures.'

Based on the data currently available, the HAS, therefore, considers that there is no argument to recommend the administration of a booster dose beyond the people already targeted by government decisions, regardless of the initial vaccines.'

'The relevance of a booster in the general population could be established if a decrease in protection against Covid-19 over time was demonstrated based on vaccine failures observed in real life (and not only based on a drop in the level of antibodies) or if a new variant "resistant" to currently available vaccines emerges in the territory.'

In summary, 'the HAS indicated that there is no need for the moment to propose a booster dose in the general population and that the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines must be monitored over time, including on any new coronavirus variants that may appear.'

'Ongoing studies will provide precise information on this point.'

Created in 2004, HAS operated in respect of three values: scientific rigor, independence, and transparency. It cooperates with all stakeholders in the service of the collective interest and of each citizen and promotes the values ​​of solidarity and equity of the health system.

Note: The NYTimes reported on July 23, 2021, 'Pfizer is gathering information on antibody responses in those who receive a third vaccine dose, as well as data from Israel, and expects to submit information to the U.S FDA in the coming weeks in a formal request to broaden the existing Emergency Use Authorization for its Comirnaty vaccine. The U.S. CDC vaccine committee discussed but did not vote on similar questions during its July 22nd digital meeting.