The vaccination of minors over 12 years old, which must begin on Tuesday, is an "
arithmetic imperative
" to approach group immunity against Covid-19, assured Professor Alain Fischer, "
Mr. vaccine
" of the government, in an interview with the
Journal du Dimanche.
To discover
Covid-19: vaccination as the only remedy
Read also: 30 million first-time vaccinated against Covid-19: what are the next steps?
"
The idea of vaccinating teenagers instead of reluctant adults is ethically unacceptable
" but "
opening Tuesday to teenagers is justified
" because "
it is an arithmetic imperative: to achieve group immunity, it is necessary to vaccinate 90% of 12 to 100 year olds;
so that it will remain out of reach even by vaccinating almost all adults,
”he says.
The government announced on June 2 that young people between the ages of 12 and 18 could be vaccinated from June 15.
Beyond the "
arithmetic
"
imperative
, Professor Fischer also mentions for teenagers - who have a minimal health risk in the face of Covid - an "
individual benefit in the social and psychological sense
" because "
they pay too heavy a price for the pandemic
”with dropping out of school and very significant psychological impacts for young people deprived of college or high school.
"
Vaccination will reduce the risk of closing establishments at the start of the school year, we know that teenagers participate as much as adults in the circulation of the virus, so we have to go,
" continues the official.
Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Saturday that the symbolic threshold of 30 million French people having received a first dose was crossed, a "
beautiful symbol
", according to Professor Fischer but who finds "
more speaking to reason from the number of French protected
".
"
Let's make a very simple addition: if we add people who have been fully vaccinated, those who have received a dose for at least two weeks and are therefore already partially immune, those who have natural immunity after having had the Covid, we arrive at around 32 millions
”, calculates the doctor.
“
So almost half of the population is protected. There is group immunity on the horizon,
”notes Alain Fisher. “
But it's like a marathon where we have already run two-thirds. And we know that the last will be the most difficult,
”he warns, however.