Fourteen residents of the Rémilly nursing home tested positive at the start of the week after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on January 20. Does this surprise you?
Professor Christian RABAUD, infectious disease specialist at the Nancy CHRU: ” Absolutely not. Since the start of the vaccination campaign in nursing homes, many positive cases have been reported to us a few days after the first injection. It should be remembered that the vaccine does not protect immediately and that it is necessary to wait several days before the vaccinated people develop antibodies. Fifteen days after the first injection, there is no protection. Three weeks later, it is still quite weak. The vaccine is not fully effective until after the second dose is administered. I add that antibodies develop even slower in the elderly. On the other hand, it is observed that the positive cases declared after administration of the vaccine seem to produce less severe forms of the disease. “
The South African variant has been identified in this Ehpad. Is the vaccine effective against this form of the virus?
“The effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine against the English variant has been demonstrated. On the other hand, this is much more hypothetical to date concerning the South African and Brazilian variants and the new mutation of the English variant. To my knowledge, this is the first time that an Ehpad in the region has encountered this variant. We will have to monitor this situation very closely. “
When will infected people be given the second dose?
“A protocol has been established. It is considered that the antibodies they will develop to deal with Covid will provide them with protection that may be akin to a second dose. However, this should be given to them 3 to 6 months after the first. Unless, of course, the recommendations were to evolve by then. “
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