Two more months.
Government, elected officials and social partners of New Caledonia reached an agreement on Saturday during a social roundtable to postpone from October 31 to December 31, 2021 the vaccination obligation in so-called sensitive sectors, due to the increase in tensions.
Struck since September 6 by a virulent Covid-19 epidemic, which has so far killed 252 people, New Caledonia had voted a few days earlier, on September 3, in favor of compulsory vaccination for so-called sensitive sectors (health , transport, law enforcement, media, etc.) on October 31 and for the entire population on December 31. The health pass was put in place on October 11, allowing an adaptation of the confinement, which remains in force on weekends until the end of October.
In his opening speech, the president of the collegiate government, Louis Mapou, acknowledged that “these two tools divide”.
And for good reason: demonstrations, blockades and strike notices punctuate the discontent carried by several unions and anti-tax associations but also by some customary Kanak officials, especially in the province of the Loyalty Islands.
Problems in companies
“The fateful date of October 31 clearly poses difficulties (…).
The application of the deliberation generates tensions within companies to the point of jeopardizing internal cohesion ”, estimated the head of the collegial executive while a hundred people opposed to health measures had gathered in front of the building where the round table was held.
At the end of a morning discussion, the participants of this round table decided that a bill would be tabled in Congress (deliberative assembly) on Monday, on behalf of all the political groups, to request a postponement of the obligation. vaccination of sensitive sectors as of December 31. "There is also a consensus on the expansion of the health pass (...) and there will be work on refocusing the sectors concerned by the vaccination obligation and on the general vaccination obligation", declared Christopher Gygès, member of the government.
Currently, 55.2% of the total population of New Caledonia has a complete vaccination schedule.
In the past 24 hours, no death has been reported: a first for six weeks, reports Nouvelle-Calédonie La 1ère.
The incidence rate is down, as well as hospital pressure, but the authorities fear a rebound.
"We are in a dangerous in-between," warned Louis Mapou.