The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, who received this Monday at the Melun hospital center a first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19, said to the question of the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the southern variant. African: “At this stage, at least 99% of the viruses circulating on our territory do not correspond to a South African variant and therefore the protection by AstraZeneca makes it possible to protect against almost all the viruses which are in circulation”.
“We are doing everything possible to prevent the spread of the South African variant and the other variants,” he said.
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Olivier Véran gave some figures on this vaccine: “Since Saturday, the AstraZenaca vaccine has been delivered to 100 pivot hospitals throughout the country. This AstraZeneca vaccine strengthens and amplifies our vaccination strategy. I remind you that this vaccine is open to all caregivers, firefighters, home helpers – aged 65 and under. ”
“We received 270,000 doses on Saturday. In two days we will receive 300,000 additional doses. And hundreds of thousands of doses that will arrive throughout the month of February,” he said.
“I invite all caregivers to be vaccinated in order to be able to protect themselves as quickly as possible,” he also declared.
“Limited effectiveness”, according to a study
The Directorate General of Health released on Sunday evening a note intended for all health professionals to strengthen measures “given the progress in the dissemination of so-called South African and Brazilian variants, the circulation of which is now in the minority but which present a risk of immune and vaccine escape “.
Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) are examining for their part, this Monday, the AstraZeneca vaccine, at a time when its effectiveness for the elderly and against the South African variant of the virus is questioned.
Moreover, South Africa announced on Sunday temporarily suspending its vaccination program which was to start in the coming days with a million vaccines developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca, after a study revealing a “limited” efficacy against the southern variant. African.
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