A new tool is being deployed to increase the number of injections for seniors.
This Tuesday, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health announced the launch of the toll-free number allowing people aged 80 and over to be vaccinated against Covid-19 at home.
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Already active, the 0 800 730 957 can be reached by the person wishing to be vaccinated, by his caregivers, or "
any other person ready to help the elderly person
". It is accessible every day, from 6 a.m. to 22. Only injections against Covid-19 can be given at home, not those against seasonal flu. The number can also be used to organize a vaccination appointment with the attending physician.
Regional health agencies "
are in the process of organizing mobile teams in each department, in close collaboration with their partners,
" the ministry said.
The professionals concerned will operate "
within a particular legal framework
", which is that of the vaccination centers: they will therefore have the same legal status and the same remuneration, hourly lump sum and not on a fee-for-service basis, as their counterparts in the centers.
Pharmacists will be able to participate, in this context, while they are "
not traditionally entitled to vaccinate at home
", it was noted.
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The deployment of home vaccination aims to speed up vaccination in a population that is sometimes fragile, isolated, less connected to the internet, and yet much more likely to contract a severe form of Covid-19. Seniors "
are less mobile
" and often have difficulty getting around, the ministry explained. In addition, these people are sometimes "
less followed by their doctor
". The vaccination therefore comes to them, and the appointment is made by telephone, a means more accessible than the Internet for the elderly.
Several devices have already been deployed to increase the vaccination rate of people aged 80 and over. This age class is indeed less protected than the younger classes, even though it is the most fragile. As of October 24, 86.6% of people over the age of 80 had received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 84.6% of them had a complete vaccination schedule. This is a lower coverage rate than almost all the other classes, with the exception of 12-17 year olds and 30-39 year olds.
On a European scale, the French backwardness is obvious.
Of the twenty-seven member countries of the Union, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Italy, Ireland, Finland, Denmark, Cyprus and Austria have all administered at least one dose to over 95% of their population aged 80 and over.
France is in the middle of the pack.
Bulgaria and Romania are good last, according to data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.