As a result of the communication from the authorities but especially of the number of deaths which have finished convincing the inhabitants, in Martinique, long refractory to the vaccine, the number of injections against the Covid-19 accelerated in July and August.

“You have to be able to protect yourself and others.

I'm on leave, I take this opportunity to get vaccinated, ”explains Vincent, a 38-year-old Martinican, who received the 100,000th injection against Covid-19 on Wednesday afternoon in this island of the Antilles, at the convention center of Fort-de-France.

"Vaccine skepticism"

This 100,000th injection has a symbolic value for the health authorities of this island of approximately 369,000 inhabitants where only 22.5% of the population of age to be vaccinated (over 12 years) received two doses on August 24. The incidence rate currently stands at 875 cases of Covid per 100,000 people. While 57,224 first injections were carried out on the island during the first six months of the year, the ARS recorded 21,026 in July and already 21,687 as of August 24. "From the spring, we saw that vaccination was progressing less quickly" in the West Indies, explained at the beginning of August Alain Fischer, the "Mr. vaccine" of the government.

Before the pandemic, “vaccine-skepticism” was moreover already more pronounced there than in hexagonal France, with less vaccine coverage against influenza or the papillomavirus.

According to the expert, the main explanation is "cultural", starting with the strong anchoring of traditional medicine in society.

The worrying epidemiological situation and the devastation caused by the delta variant in Martinique clearly pushed the population to review its position vis-à-vis the vaccine: 162 deaths were indeed recorded in two weeks.

Death notices are broadcast on local radio stations every day for a little over an hour, and twice-daily funerals in the communes have helped to convince those still opposed to vaccination.

"Inevitable" deaths

“We end up with patients over the age of 85 whose death is inevitable. It's terrible what we're going through in the hospital. Apart from getting vaccinated, there is no other proven solution today, ”doctors keep repeating to encourage the population to sign up for this vaccination process. The local authority of Martinique has also joined in vaccination awareness operations by asking artists and other personalities to participate in television spots which are scheduled to be broadcast in the coming days.

"We are now more than 30% of people over 12 who have received their first dose," says Jérôme Viguier, the director general of the ARS.

Before adding: “The consequences of this epidemic are that there is awareness and mobilization among people.

We were forced to increase our itinerant or ephemeral vaccination offer in the cities ”.

A "vaccibus" was thus set up on August 24 to allow local vaccination in the municipalities of Martinique.

The mayors are also mobilizing to encourage the population to be vaccinated.

"If we maintain this rhythm in the next 200 or even 300 days, we will be able to save lives, it is essential", assures François Roch, the president of the medical committee of establishment of the CHU of Martinique.

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  • Martinique

  • Covid 19

  • Vaccination

  • Coronavirus

  • Health

  • Anti-covid vaccine