Vaccination at the Magnolias nursing home, in Loos (North), Monday 27 December 2020. – AFP
Nothing to report, or almost. “No serious” or “unexpected” side effects of vaccine against Covid – 000 was observed in France after the first four days of vaccination, said Thursday the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM). Only “pain” at the site where the injection is given and “fatigue” have been reported by certain structures for the elderly where the vaccination has already taken place, the agency said in its first update on vaccine surveillance.
“These non-serious side effects are mentioned in the leaflet ”of the vaccine, she recalled. Between the start of the vaccination campaign, Sunday 20 December , and Wednesday 28 December, approximately 300 people in France have received the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech laboratories, the first to be available in France and in Europe. This slow start aroused criticism and incomprehension in the political class and
retirement homes as well as by the at-risk employees of these establishments (more than 30 years, those affected by other ailments…). The target audiences must then be enlarged in stages, the youngest and the least fragile coming last.
For this vaccination campaign, a “reinforced surveillance system” was put in place by the ANSM and the regional pharmacovigilance centers (CRPV), the agency recalls. “The CRPVs are in regular contact” with establishments for the elderly where vaccination takes place. “The purpose of these exchanges is to support these establishments in the monitoring of adverse effects, in particular to facilitate the immediate reporting of serious and / or unexpected adverse effects that may occur”, continues the ANSM.
“This reinforced surveillance is continuing with new establishments which will begin vaccinations at starting next week. The ANSM, in conjunction with the CRPVs, will be able to communicate at any time if a safety signal is identified ”, she concludes.