A little bite against the Covid-19… between Christmas and New Year's Day.
This Wednesday, December 16, in front of the deputies, the Prime Minister announced an acceleration of the vaccination schedule.
"If all the conditions are met, we could start the first vaccinations in the last week of December," said Jean Castex.
Until now, the executive spoke of early January as the starting point of the campaign.
The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, who succeeded him at the rostrum, was even more precise, citing the hypothesis "of December 27 or 28".
If this schedule is accelerating, it is because the European Medicines Agency, which issues the authorizations, will meet next Monday, December 21.
In theory, it must give the green light the same day, but there are still some regulatory obstacles to overcome, in particular a new opinion from the technical committee on vaccinations of the High Authority for Health.
"You will understand that we are not going to start on December 24 or 25, for obvious reasons," added Olivier Véran.
But there is no question, for the government, of waiting for January 1 to start the vaccination of elderly people in nursing homes.
VIDEO. Covid-19: "The first vaccinations could be carried out the last week of December"
This boost is given so as not to leave the impression that France is falling behind compared to the United Kingdom and the United States, which have already started vaccination.
Germany, in the throes of a very violent peak in the epidemic, has already set up gymnasiums equipped for vaccination ready to open and is talking about a launch on December 27.
"During the festive season, it is not ideal"
But for some health professionals, this decision to start vaccination between Christmas and New Year's Day is not straightforward.
“It seems extremely difficult to me.
The employees are exhausted, and during the holiday season, it will certainly be very complicated ”exclaims Pascal Champvert, president of the Association of Directors of Retirement Homes (AD-PA).
Even the doctors are not unanimous.
“It is not enough that the Prime Minister decrees it, it is still necessary to have doctors to vaccinate.
However, some have been on the front line since March, and they have the right to rest a little during the holidays, ”angered a professor of medicine.
Especially since the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, which can be stored at −80 ° C, poses additional logistical problems.
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Other doctors want to believe it: “It should be possible, with the paramedics and the coordinating doctors.
But it is true that during the holiday season, it is not the ideal place to start, ”said Dr Serge Smadja, secretary general of SOS Médecins.
"Why would France be lagging behind?"
But can the virulence of the virus dictate another choice?
The president of the League against cancer, Axel Kahn, interviewed at the microphone of BFMTV, affirms "that it is time to go there frankly, without waiting any longer.
Why would France be lagging behind other countries?
If herd immunity is to progress, vaccination should be started as soon as possible.
"
This first phase will last "for six to eight weeks," said Jean Castex, and will concern, as planned, a million elderly people and their caregivers.
Then, in the spring, it will be the turn of 14 million French people over the age of 65 to have recourse to a health professional to be immunized.
It remains to win the battle of public opinion, sometimes reluctant in the face of vaccination.
The communication campaign, which is in preparation, will have a big role to play.
Jean Castex gave the main points.
“Faced with fears, we will explain, we will reassure.
Total transparency, absolute vigilance will be our watchwords ”.
Olivier Véran also puts on a positive tone: “science is fantastic, we don't say it enough.
She took less than a year to find several vaccines.
It is a huge hope.
"
