France Recommends Second COVID-19 Booster for Those Aged 80 and Above

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] France is starting a second additional COVID-19 vaccine dose for the elderly aged 80 and above and vulnerable groups. However, this is a recommendation.

If you have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, which require two shots to expect immunity, this corresponds to the fourth dose.

On the 15th (local time), the French Ministry of Health announced that chronic patients, immunocompromised individuals, and those aged 80 and above can receive a second additional COVID-19 vaccine dose three months after the previous additional vaccination.

If you contract COVID-19 three months after receiving the additional vaccine dose, you do not need to receive the second additional dose. This is because one COVID-19 infection is considered equivalent to one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

However, if infected with COVID-19 within three months of the additional vaccine dose, the Ministry of Health's policy, as reported by the daily Le Figaro, is that a second additional dose must be administered.

Alain Fischer, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board, explained, "The elderly have weaker immunity and lower resistance than younger people," adding, "Based on the case in Israel, no side effects have been observed, so it is safe to administer the second additional dose to them."

Fischer also stated that there is currently no evidence to expand the second additional vaccine dose to other age groups, but if supporting data emerges, all possibilities remain open.

The second additional COVID-19 vaccine dose proposed by French health authorities is a recommendation, not mandatory, and does not apply to the vaccine pass.

From the day before, France has lifted the obligation to check the COVID-19 vaccine pass when entering multi-use facilities, except for medical facilities, nursing homes, and facilities for the disabled.

The recent 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases in France peaked at 366,179 on January 25 and decreased to 69,249 on the 15th of this month.

The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases is 23,649,615, ranking fourth worldwide after the United States, India, and Brazil, and the cumulative death toll is 140,440, ranking 10th globally.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.