The Ministry of Health is considering organizing a different distribution of vaccine doses during the summer to increase their number in the most touristic areas.
A strategy that could penalize the less frequented areas in France in summer, as well as people who do not go on vacation.
If the migration of doses between regions seems feasible, that of personnel to administer these vaccines is much more complex during this season, during which caregivers are already working in small numbers.
Continue vaccination at the beach?
As revealed by
Franceinfo
, the executive plans to increase the number of doses of vaccine in tourist areas during the summer holidays.
Objective stated: maintain the pace of the vaccination campaign or allow people who have had a first dose of vaccine in their department of residence, to receive their second at their vacation spot.
A good idea presented in this way, but which hides several drawbacks highlighted by Michaël Rochoy, general practitioner in Outreau and co-founder of the collective “On the side of science”.
Getting vaccinated during this summer vacation, is it really the right time?
There is always a decrease in the care activity during these two months and particularly in preventive care, such as vaccines. No one thinks about getting their tetanus booster or smear test while on vacation by the sea. Vacationers don't want to take time, even just an hour, to do this. Without counting on the possible risks of side effects. You don't want to be in a flu-like state for 24 hours in the middle of your vacation. The most logical thing would be to encourage people to be vaccinated before leaving in order to avoid the displacement of potentially contaminated populations.
Until now, you had to know how to use Doctolib to get vaccinated, now you have to go on vacation!
There are perhaps more egalitarian things to propose than putting priority on those who can go on vacation.
We could for example think by category: all teachers or all students for example.
How can the government "increase" the doses in certain areas?
I do not know in detail the plan envisaged by the Ministry of Health, but it is sure that there will be no magical appearance of new doses of vaccines. So that means that we are going to puncture or redirect the flow of doses from certain departments and regions to send them to more touristy areas. It is true that the vaccine must follow the population and that if the number of people doubles in one place, the number of doses of vaccine must also increase.
If we take the doses from the Creuse because people go there less, to put them in the Paca region where there are a lot of tourists in the summer, this is not necessarily a good thing.
Nor very friendly.
And unless we are drowning in doses of vaccines this summer, which is absolutely not the case today, there is a risk that it will create shortages in some places.
However, there are deadlines to be observed between two injections of vaccines.
What are people going to do if they get the first dose while on vacation in the South and when they go home to the North, there is none left?
Is such a plan logistically possible?
It is one thing to increase the number of doses in one place, but it also takes staff to inject them.
Like all other French people, doctors, nurses and pharmacists go on vacation.
In summer, there is always less activity, but also less staff available.
It will be complicated to force them to change departments during the holidays to vaccinate tourists.
Especially since they must also ensure the care of their patients at home.
Personally, I plan my vacation well in advance to be able to organize the meeting schedule accordingly.
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