Covid-19: in China, expatriates demand messenger RNA vaccines from France

Sébastien Le Belzic (in Beijing), edited by Solène Leroux 09:07, March 22, 2022

The Covid-19 Omicron variant and its BA.2 version are fueling the resumption of the epidemic in several countries.

This is the case in France, where hospitals are currently spared with nearly 80% of the population fully vaccinated.

The situation is however more complicated on the side of China, where the number of cases is exploding.

The Chinese Ministry of Health announced Tuesday 4,770 new positive cases nationwide.

Very low figures in comparison with other countries in the world, but high for China and its zero Covid strategy.

To cope, French nationals are calling on Paris to send them more effective Messenger RNA vaccines.

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12,000 French in China

China is experiencing its most spectacular epidemic wave in two years.

One of the reasons for this outbreak of the Omicron variant is the low effectiveness of the only two vaccines authorized in the country, those of Sinovac and Sinopharm.

This is why representatives of the 12,000 French people in China are calling on the government for help.

"The health situation is very worrying in China today. I therefore appeal to the French government to deliver RNA vaccines to us, which are still not available in China", detailed Franck Pajot, adviser to the French at overseas in Beijing.

“It is the only way for us to be properly protected and to get out of the isolation that some have felt they have suffered for more than two years due to the health crisis,” he continued.

France reluctant

Some European embassies, such as that of Spain, have sent messenger RNA vaccines, in this case from Moderna, to vaccinate their diplomats and a large part of their nationals.

But China does not allow these vaccines on its territory.

The French Embassy is therefore reluctant to organize a large vaccination campaign for its expatriates.