Dominique Le Guludec, president of the High Authority for Health, explains on Europe 1 the reasons for the observable slowdown in the vaccination campaign.

She calls for more persuasion and communications to avoid stagnation that could result in a resurgence of the epidemic.

INTERVIEW

How to prevent vaccination from stagnating?

WHO has warned Europe about insufficient levels of immunization.

"Vaccination coverage is far from sufficient to protect the region from a resurgence," its director said Thursday.

A problem that could become serious as the vaccination campaign slows down.

France has many doses in stock, but part of the population is still reluctant.

On Europe 1 Dominique Le Guludec, the president of the Haute Autorité de Santé, analyzes the dynamics at play and discusses the reasons that should motivate citizens.

Populations "less appetite for vaccination"

"We have vaccinated a large proportion of fragile people who felt vulnerable, who had severe forms. Now the vaccination is aimed at younger people who feel less threatened and therefore, obviously, they are less keen on vaccination", she believes.

However, "there were also young people hospitalized, in intensive care, it is not anecdotal".

She adds: "Everyone needs to be vaccinated because this pandemic is not behind us."

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"Autumn is tomorrow"

If there does indeed appear to be a "summer break" and improving numbers, it may only be temporary. "If we want to keep this back-to-school truce, if we don't want to have to take coercive social distancing again, we need to achieve a much higher vaccination rate." Overall immunity would in fact be achieved around 80 to 90% of the vaccinated population. 

The arrival of sunny days can also be a disincentive for vaccination.

But those who are worried about their holidays must remember that there is "a certain latitude for the second dose", recalls the president of the High Authority of Health.

Not to mention, that "when it takes three weeks to have protection," she recalls.

The threat of variants

Vaccination is all the more urgent as the so-called "Indian" variant threatens.

He is present in the United Kingdom and his arrival in France could lead to a peak, she believes.

"If we want to avoid it, we must persuade, persuade, persuade," she insists.

Last element that must be taken into account, immunity must be homogeneous. "There must not be pockets of circulation, whether in territory or in age". The president of the High Authority of Health still relies on persuasion to encourage the vaccination of caregivers, stagnating at 50%, rather than trying to impose the latter.