As of April, the second COVID-19 booster jab is available in France for people aged between 60 and 79. For this age group, the vaccine must be administered at least six months after the previous booster. For those aged 80 and above, who have already been eligible for several months, this requirement is reduced to three months.
The second booster jab, i.e. the fourth dose in most cases, is recommended by the French government, but is not mandatory for your health pass to remain valid. The recommendation is based on studies – such as this one, which was conducted in Israel on subjects who had received the dose and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine– that have demonstrated the efficacy of the booster for the most vulnerable individuals. Although the efficacy drops by half in the fourth week following vaccination, the study shows that the antibodies produced as a result of the injection offer real added protection for people over sixty years of age, as well as those with comorbidities or immunodeficiency.
The booster jab can be administered in vaccination centres, pharmacies and medical practices in Ain, Haute-Savoie and all over France, as well as at home. However, it is not yet available in Switzerland, other than for immunocomprised individuals.
For residents of France, more information (in French) can be found on the French health insurance website and that of the government.