Latecomers were given a
one-week “
tolerance period ”.
But, during a press briefing on Tuesday, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health indicated that “
3.5 million people will lose their pass today or tomorrow
”, for lack of having received a booster dose. within a maximum period of four months after the last injection.
Read alsoCovid-19: will the vaccine pass disappear “temporarily”?
Last week, the ministry estimated that less than “
4 million
” people would lose their vaccination pass by February 15.
Since then, “
there have been 200,000 more eligible people, bringing the figure to 4.2 million people, of whom 700,000 have made their recall, which makes 3.5 million people who will lose their pass today or tomorrow.
“, detailed a representative of the ministry.
“
This is our estimate today
”, we added, specifying that the loss of the pass was “
reversible
”: a person wishing to receive his booster dose will be able to do so and find his validated pass quickly.
As of February 15, according to figures from Public Health France, coverage rates varied by age group, from 68.8% for 18-24 year olds to 92.5% for 70-74 year olds.
In addition, 84% of professionals working in Ehpad and USLD (long-term care units), as well as 89% of liberals and 83% of employees in health establishments had received their additional dose.
The future of the vaccine pass is however uncertain, several voices, within the executive, counting on an imminent abolition of the device, while the Omicron wave is receding.
In the Senate, Tuesday morning, Olivier Véran listed several criteria for deleting it, including a drop in the number of people in intensive care to "
1,500
" Covid patients and a declining epidemic dynamic - with an R factor "
sustainably less than 1
".
The incidence rate should be "
between 300 and 500 maximum
", also.
Still a significant delay in children and pregnant women
When questioned, the Ministry of Health assures that it wants to continue the mobilization for the vaccination campaign, while the number of daily injections collapsed during the Omicron wave.
The numerous contaminations recorded since mid-November have postponed the date of vaccination of millions of French people, and, since the announcement of the rule "one infection = one injection" by Olivier Véran, many of them no longer need receive a booster dose.
“
We are not letting our guard down, we are continuing the fight on primary vaccinations, while there are still 4.1 million unvaccinated people
,” we promised.
Similarly, significant delays were noted in two populations.
First, pediatric vaccination is visibly slipping: only 275,000 children - "
just under 5% of 5-11 year olds
" - have received at least one dose of vaccine to date.
A disappointing result, much lower than that of our European neighbours.
Despite the changes and the efforts, the rate does not take off.
Then, vaccination is also considered insufficient in pregnant women: “
about 30% of pregnant women are not vaccinated at all, which is less than in women of the same age
”, noted with concern Professor Alain Fischer during the press briefing.
“
This vaccination is legitimate, effective and safe […].
There is no risk of complication
“, both for the mother and for the child, hammered once again the president of the Council for the orientation of the vaccine strategy (COSV).
Pointing to an “
insufficient
” vaccination coverage, the scientist regretted a “
persistent reluctance
”, sometimes fueled by the mistrust of health professionals who accompany pregnant women.
"
It is absolutely unjustified
,” he said.
An urgent DGS will be sent “
in the coming hours
” to health professionals, in order to revitalize the campaign within this population.
