A few days ago, Britons announced they will use the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for their vaccine strategy and they will only inject one dose of vaccine per person, in order to protect as many people as possible and as soon as possible.
As for France, already criticized for the slow speed of the vaccine campaign, the country goes for a two-dose strategy, three weeks apart, the laboratory saying that it makes the vaccine more effective.
As a matter of fact, France’s Health Minister explains that they will comply with recommendations delivered by the Pfizer/BioNTech laboratory suggesting to inject the vaccine twice, three weeks apart, to move from 70% of effectiveness in the event of one dose, to 95% with the double dose.
In order to keep vaccines on the shelves when the second shot will be needed, the French vaccine strategy plans the second dose be secured and kept in a storage center for three weeks, from the moment a patient gets they first injection. As a matter of fact, this strategy can only work if all patients are sure to be given the second dose in time.
Even though French vaccinated will be more protected against coronavirus thanks to this double vaccine – dramatically increasing the vaccine effectiveness – the number of people vaccinated will rise more slowly than in the UK since each patient will be vaccinated twice.
Yet, the Health Minister endeavors to be reassuring and guarantees everyone will get two doses in time, as planned by the vaccine protocol.
