Question 38331 — elderly people

Summary

Mr. Jean-Pierre Door draws the attention of the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Solidarity and Health, responsible for autonomy, to the low vaccination coverage of the elderly, particularly with regard to pneumococcal vaccination. The covid-19 pandemic has been a strong reminder of the significant consequences that infectious diseases can have on people over 65 years old. Several factors explain the particular exposure of the elderly to the risk of infection, such as immunosenescence or the presence of comorbidities. Thus, high age is a risk factor for invasive pneumococcal infection. Given the aging of the population - in 2040, 11 million French people will be 75 years old or over, or 15% of the population - and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases - in 2018, 43% of those over 65 living in home had at least one long-term illness, i.e. 5.6 million people, the prevention of the risk of infection must be the subject of particular attention. Faced with this major challenge, several infections can already be prevented today by vaccination. In the epidemic context marked by the coexistence of viruses (SARS COV-2, influenza, pneumococcus), the Covid-19 Scientific Council recommended, from the month of July 2020, to combine these three vaccinations in order to best protect vulnerable populations. Indeed, the pathogens covid-19, influenza and pneumococcus act synergistically (same populations at risk), it is necessary to align and associate these vaccination policies more closely. On the other hand, elderly people form a population at risk which requires specific and adapted monitoring, particularly in the field of prevention. In order to prevent potentially serious infectious diseases, health authorities have developed a specific and reinforced vaccination schedule for people over 65 years of age. But this does not include pneumococcal vaccination, which is only recommended for vulnerable people (immunocompromised patients and patients with chronic diseases). However, age is a proven risk factor by increasing the probability of invasive pneumococcal infection. He therefore asks her if she plans to strengthen the prevention route through vaccination by extending the pneumococcal vaccine recommendation to all people over 65, as is the case in several countries (United Kingdom, Italy, Germany). He also asks her if she is considering implementing this consolidated course as part of a prevention meeting at the time of retirement.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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