The High Authority for Health (HAS) is preparing to relaunch a sensitive debate.
Thursday, March 30, it will update its recommendations on the obligation to vaccinate health professionals.
In February, the HAS, seized by the government, had opened the door to a return of unvaccinated personnel in a first draft opinion.
“
This vaccination should however remain strongly recommended, in particular for professions for which a vaccination recommendation is currently in force for influenza
”, she noted.
This Thursday, the HAS will therefore “
evolve its recommendations
”
,
on the subject, she confirms to
Figaro
.
She won't say more.
But nothing forces it to change the current framework where, since 2021, all people working in hospitals have the obligation to be vaccinated.
To make its recommendations, the HAS will rely on
“the evolution of the epidemiological situation and of medical and scientific knowledge”
.
Read alsoCovid-19: does a recent court decision pave the way for the reintegration of unvaccinated caregivers?
At the time of the first advisory published on February 20, the average number of new cases per day was low (3671).
As of March 25, this number has certainly doubled (7,794), but “the
current situation is [still] not alarming
” explained to Le
Figaro
on March 28 Philippe Amouyel, epidemiologist and professor of public health at the Lille University Hospital.
A health issue....
The first issue is of course health.
“
Certainly, the health situation has improved significantly
, recognizes Yves Buisson, epidemiologist and president of the Covid-19 cell of the National Academy of Medicine.
But going back on the non-integration of non-vaccinated caregivers would be a mistake because the virus
will continue to circulate and there will always be this risk of transmission within hospitals
.
In a press release which should be published this Wednesday, March 29, the National Academy of Medicine “
recommends that the annual vaccination against Covid-19 be included in the vaccination obligations of professionals working in the health and medico-social sectors
” in the name of
“ practices aimed at protecting hospitalized patients”
which are “
the honor of a profession
”
.
“
Even if there were ten cases of Covid-19 per day in France, we would keep these recommendations
”
,
adds Yves Buisson.
Read alsoShould vaccination of caregivers against the flu be made compulsory, as for Covid-19?
A logic that is no longer unanimous.
In Monocao, for example, non-vaccinated caregivers have been reinstated since March 27.
Such a decision was taken “
concerning the favorable evolution of the Covid-19 epidemic recorded for several months
”.
According to Christophe Robino, government adviser-Minister of Social Affairs and Health, quoted by
France 3
, 38 caregivers were concerned in the principality.
... but still political
In France, nearly 5,000 caregivers would be suspended (i.e. less than 1%), according to a survey carried out in May 2022 by the French Hospital Federation (FHF).
“
It's very low.
Initially, we had problems with membership, but not anymore,
”
says
Sophie Marchandet, director of the human resources division of the FHF.
According to her, the FHF was not consulted by the HAS concerning the evolution of the next recommendations.
“
If a national position justified by learned societies is taken, public health establishments will follow,”
she adds.
As we
do for any other subject
.
Questioned by
franceinfo
on March 12, Arnaud Robinet, president of the FHF also saw it as a political question.
“
In a way, you were forced to get vaccinated, you did it out of responsibility.
And then we will tell you now it does not matter, your colleagues who are not vaccinated, they will be reinstated
,
”
he explained.
At the union level, the CGT Santé - the first union force in the public hospital service (FPH) calls for "
letting caregivers free to be vaccinated or not
".
“
Our position is clear, there should never have been a vaccination obligation
”
,
launches its federal secretary Sylvie Pons.
Force Ouvrière (FO) health - the second union of the FPH - is more measured.
“
If the HAS affirms that a lifting of the vaccination obligation is feasible, we would be in favor of it
”
,
but prefers “
to leave the choice to the scientists
”, advances Didier Birg, its federal secretary.
"
We remain outside of any political choice
"
,
he completes.
Read also Unvaccinated caregivers: is the LFI bill “conspiratorial” and “antivax”?
Before making his decision, François Braun announced that he would also await the opinion of the National Consultative Ethics Committee, also seized on the question.
“
Before the summer
”, had indicated in February the Minister of Health on the set of Télématin.
In November, François Braun had seen a problem of
“professional ethics”
in the reintegration of non-vaccinated caregivers.
At the end of last year, several opposition groups such as France insoumise (LFI) and the National Rally (RN) demanded the reinstatement of unvaccinated caregivers.
The debate will return to the ranks of the National Assembly on May 4, when 19 communist deputies from the Democratic and Republican Left Group (GDR) tabled a bill calling for the repeal of the obligation to vaccinate caregivers against the Covid-19.
Contacted, the Ministry of Health and the Directorate General of Health (DGS) did not respond to our requests.
