Covid-19 vaccination plan in Haute-Garonne: “General practitioners will be the pillars”

How is the Covid-19 vaccination plan being prepared in Haute-Garonne?

For the moment, we are waiting and in consultation. The State has established three phases of vaccination, first in nursing homes, then for frail people and finally for the general population. But, at this time, we do not know all the strategies (which laboratory, which vaccines, etc.) and we are awaiting written confirmation of the summary elements provided by the National Drug Safety Agency.

Will general practitioners be associated with this plan?

Yes, and they will be its pillars. Vaccination is a medical act that requires monitoring and traceability in order to see if there are any adverse effects but also to observe its effectiveness. The attending physician should give the first injection. Because he knows his patient (antecedents, comorbidities), because it will be up to him to give the clear, loyal and complete information necessary to obtain informed consent and, because it is a medical procedure for which he you have to master the technique. A computer system will allow the patient’s consent to be recorded, the vaccine batch number, the date and place of injection, etc. This phase is essential to collect as much data as possible for pharmacovigilance. If a second injection is necessary, a nurse can take over.

“Do not reproduce the masterful failure of H1N1”

What inspires you to distrust this vaccination?

Everyone wants to play with transparency and clarity, but for once the difference is that we are going fast. There are still questions about this Covid vaccination and much is expected from clinical studies (Covireivac) to be able to give informed consent to patients. But in principle, the benefit / risk ratio is largely in favor of vaccination.

Will this campaign look like what was done for the H1N1 epidemic?

It is important not to take the model of the masterful failure of H1N1. There is no question of vaccinating in barracks or gymnasiums, sometimes by personnel from the medical services and not by doctors. Doctors’ offices can do this, also relying on the USD (Covid dedicated care units, 25 currently in Haute-Garonne with opening scheduled until the end of February). The important thing is to avoid cacophony by not dividing up the roles.

–