Jean Castex defended on Saturday the "effectiveness" of the vaccination of children to counter the spread of Covid-19, the day after his announcement on the establishment of a vaccination pass and while the opening of vaccination is looming for all 5-11 years.
Visiting a vaccinodrome and the Le Mans hospital (Sarthe), the head of government spoke with several people who had come to be vaccinated, mainly with booster doses.
Jean Castex announced several new measures on Friday, including a bill in January aimed at transforming the health pass into a vaccination pass.
Concretely, to enter places subject to this pass (restaurants, places of culture, recreation, etc.), a negative test will no longer be sufficient: it will necessarily be necessary to have been vaccinated (or cured of the Covid) and to have received a booster dose.
The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, also indicated on Saturday morning that the vaccination would be open to all children aged 5 to 11 from Wednesday, December 22 "if all goes well".
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In the capital of Sarthe, the Prime Minister confided that he hoped that "the decisions announced" on Friday would "have the effect of deciding a little more" those resistant to vaccination.
"Children are contaminants"
Children must be vaccinated "because they are contaminants", he replied to a man who expressed his doubts, recalling that people who are immunocompromised or suffering from serious diseases could suffer from serious forms of Covid although 'they are vaccinated.
"Childhood vaccination is effective in this regard," said the Prime Minister, who nevertheless insisted that this vaccination would be offered "on a voluntary basis", while a majority of parents are opposed to it, according to polls.
Jean Castex then went to the Le Mans hospital, visiting the intensive care unit, in which 80% of Covid patients are unvaccinated.
The Prime Minister finally offered a stroll to the market in the Patis-Saint-Lazare district, in the company of the mayor PS Stéphane Le Foll.
Jean Castex was accompanied in his visit by the Minister for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa, who was elected municipal in Le Mans between 2014 and 2020.
