The day after a new defense council, Jean Castex and Olivier Véran held a press conference on Thursday during which they gave further details on the vaccination strategy.
In particular, they set a target of one million people vaccinated by the end of January.
THE ESSENTIAL
"We are doing everything possible to allow you to get vaccinated in good conditions," said Olivier Véran on Thursday.
During a press conference led by Prime Minister Jean Castex, the Minister of Health clarified the French vaccination strategy against the coronavirus.
Under fire from criticism from the opposition on the slowness of the campaign, Olivier Véran set new milestones on the calendar, estimating in particular that "a million people" would be vaccinated by the end of January.
He also called on the French to have confidence: "The vaccine is safe, serious side effects are extremely rare."
Europe 1 takes stock of these new announcements.
45,000 people vaccinated in the last five days
"45,000 people" have been vaccinated in France "in the past five days," said Jean Castex during his press conference.
"One center per department has already been opened" or "100 on the territory", added the Prime Minister.
"From Monday there will be 300, then 600 gradually until the end of January."
Olivier Véran welcomed the acceleration of the vaccination campaign recorded since the beginning of the week.
According to him, 5,000 people were vaccinated on Tuesday, 12,500 on Wednesday and "at least 25,000" were vaccinated on Thursday.
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Vaccination extended to caregivers and disabled people in specialized establishments
"The time has come to expand the list of people who can benefit from vaccination," said Olivier Véran.
"We have initiated the vaccination of caregivers, firefighters, home helpers aged 50 and over or carriers of what are called co-morbidities, that is to say diseases that expose them to risk of forms serious. "
Vaccination has also been opened "to vulnerable people with disabilities who are accommodated in specialized reception homes (MAS) and nursing homes (FAM)", declared Prime Minister Jean Castex.
"But also to the staff who work there, if they are aged 50 or over, or if they themselves are carriers of co-morbidity", added the Minister of Health.
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The second dose can now be postponed "up to six weeks"
"It is possible without risk and without loss of effectiveness to postpone the second injection of the vaccine" Pfizer-BioNTech "up to six weeks instead of three," assured the Minister of Health on Thursday.
This recommendation comes from an opinion that the Medicines Agency (ANSM) just posted on its website on Thursday.
"This allows us to have more doses available immediately" to carry out the first injection of the vaccine in more patients, underlined the minister.
The Moderna vaccine delivered Monday in France
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Wednesday gave the green light to the vaccine from the American laboratory Moderna against the coronavirus, the second vaccine to which it gives its approval for use in the European Union, after that developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
"Some 50,000 first Moderna vaccines will be delivered from Monday," said Olivier Véran.
In January, France should receive at least 100,000, then 500,000 in February, more than a million in March and April, and two million in May and June.
From January 18, those over 75 will be able to be vaccinated
People over the age of 75 will be able to be vaccinated "from Monday, January 18" against Covid-19, Jean Castex said Thursday.
"If you are in this situation, you will be able, from next week, to make an appointment to be vaccinated", then clarified Olivier Véran.
This vaccination will however be "necessarily progressive" and will be spread over "several weeks".
The "second phase" of vaccination, for which the government has not specified the launch date, will subsequently concern those over 65, "or 7 million additional French people", added the Minister of Health.
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One million vaccinated by the end of January
During the press conference, Olivier Véran was delighted with a "rise in power" of vaccination in France.
After a timid start, the Minister of Health wants to press on the accelerator until reaching "a cruising speed" of "several tens of thousands" of French people vaccinated per day.
"We are targeting one million people vaccinated by the end of January," he said.
Other vaccines could be licensed before March
In addition to the two already authorized by the European Medicines Agency, three other vaccines could be approved and distributed in the Union within the next few weeks.
"We hope for these vaccines before March", explained Olivier Véran.
Some, said the minister, have been ordered "in large quantities" and will allow the health authorities to go "much faster" and protect "as many people as possible".
Unlike the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine in particular, these new vaccines do not need to be stored at very low temperature, requiring less logistics and can therefore be distributed more easily.
"They can be carried out in town directly with your caregivers," assured the Minister of Health.
78 million doses "normally" delivered "before summer"
Between the five main vaccines (two authorized and three expected), France has pre-ordered "78 million doses" which will be "normally delivered before the summer", explained Olivier Véran.
However, this figure being suspended from the authorization of the European Agency, it is "difficult" to predict the number of people who may have been vaccinated by July.