Phase 2 of the vaccination campaign targets people over 75 in particular -

FRED SCHEIBER

  • Last week, Jean Castex and Olivier Véran announced that those over 75 could be vaccinated as of January 18.

  • A majority

    of

    20 Minutes

    readers

    encourage their elders to accept vaccination.

    But many seniors are still hesitant, for lack of information and confidence in the authorities.

  • Others advise older people not to be inoculated with a product whose side effects they know too little about.

Would Pope Francis have heard the appeal of Jean Castex and Olivier Véran?

We do not know if it is the divine word, that of the government or another reason that influenced the sovereign pontiff, who declared, this Saturday, that he was going to be vaccinated.

Aged 86, he would be affected, if he lived in France, by “phase 2” of the national strategy, launched this Thursday.

People aged 75 and over, excluding nursing homes, can then make an appointment to be vaccinated from Monday, January 18.

But recent polls still show reluctance on the part of many French people.

To understand the position of seniors and their loved ones,

20 Minutes

asked its readers to find out if they intend to encourage their elders to be vaccinated.

"More to fear from Covid-19 [...] than from the vaccine"

For Roche, the question does not even arise: "they have already decided to do it".

But not all seniors are so convinced and many children or grandchildren need to encourage them.

Like Thierry, whose father is 85 years old: “As I don't live close enough to see him as often as I would like, it will reassure me to know how to vaccinate.

"Fred is delighted, too, to have succeeded in convincing his parents:" They understood that they have more to fear from Covid-19 and its side effects than from the vaccine itself.

"Same strategy for Léa *, who had to weigh the risks in order to tip her 90-year-old mother:" Either way, it was isolation for months, or worse hospital and ventilator.

She chose vaccination.

The freedom argument often comes up in the testimony.

For others, it was necessary to call a doctor.

Arthur's recalcitrant grandmother made up her mind thanks to the arguments of her attending physician, much to the relief of her grandson.

But there may be communication problems.

Eric, who pushes his parents and in-laws to get started, does not understand the reaction of his practitioner: “He advises them to wait.

Given the context, it is almost endangering others.

Arthur encourages on the contrary to communicate around people already vaccinated and who feel well.

This is how Séverine, rather reluctant in the face of bites, convinced herself and her 84-year-old mother-in-law: "And it's not a joke, I get along very well with her." .

"

Doubt in the face of information

For the parents of Bruno, 78 and 77 years old, the arguments are not enough, they will wait: “They do not wish to serve as guinea pigs for science.

Many people are tempted to wait.

Valérie's mother, completely "freaked out" by the virus, has not yet made her decision: "I try to convince her gently but I would like her not to take weeks to decide.

»Carole lives the same situation.

Her position as a caregiver is not enough to convince her parents, "cautious" and unsettled by what they read: "They hear a lot of bullshit about vaccines, fake news and receive emails from pseudo-experts.

"

The doubt can also come from the youngest.

Marine's grandparents are in great shape, and she is worried that the vaccine will have a detrimental effect on their health: “I don't trust these vaccines laid in haste.

I don't advise them to try.

Words that sum up some of the testimonies received.

Liliane, whose parents lost all confidence in the authorities after the mask episode and the government's “lack of anticipation”, will not advise them to be vaccinated.

Like them, she says she is surprised by the "tour de force" of laboratories to find a vaccine so quickly.

Alexandre, he does not want his parents to be vaccinated so that "tomorrow, the state announces to us that it was wrong about the vaccines".

Others get more involved in rejection, encouraging their elders not to get the vaccine.

Karim thus asks his grandparents not to be inoculated "a prototype of which we do not know the long-term effects".

Same reaction for Bastien *, who knows too little about the side effects and the duration of protection provided by the proposed vaccines.

He advises his parents against "tempting the devil".

Some seniors want to decide

So there are the pros and cons.

And those who refuse to influence.

It is the choice of Amandine, who does not want to "decide for her grandmother".

Ditto for Emmanuel, who believes that seniors have "the experience and the wisdom to know what to do".

And Agnès, 75, confirms: “I don't need my children's advice.

I'm sick of being taken for a moron because I'm my age!

"From the top of his 80 years, Jacques does not want someone to decide for him either:" I have no advice to receive, no one will manage to stuff my slack.

" It is said. 

*

The first name has been changed

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  • Health

  • Covid 19

  • Olivier Véran

  • Coronavirus

  • Jean Castex

  • Vaccination

  • Vaccine