Paris (AFP)

"I jumped at the chance": midwife or head doctor, several caregivers of at least 50 years old came to be vaccinated on Saturday at the Hôtel-Dieu, in the heart of the capital, to protect themselves from the Covid-19 but above all to "set an example".

Honor to the chefs.

In box n ° 1 for emergencies, Professor Claire Poyart opens the ball of injections in front of journalists.

"I have to be convincing and set an example," says the head of the bacteriology department at Cochin hospital.

At 63, she worries less for herself than for others: "People in my family have died from Covid, my children have had it, my grandchildren have suffered from confinement ... Vaccination is the best way out ".

Even if it means paying in person to tip the scales while, on vaccination, caregivers "are still very divided, we are not going to hide our face".

"Many are waiting to see that this vaccination campaign really starts," explains his colleague Alain Cariou, 55, anesthesiologist in Cochin.

"Relieved" to have had "access to vaccination within this period", he also says he is "serene" for the future.

"I am very confident in the fact that things will only get better by accelerating. We have a deployment potential which is very important, I am convinced that we can get there without too much difficulty", assures- he does.

A second vaccination box should also open on Sunday and probably others afterwards.

"There is a vaccine impetus, it must be answered", adds Professor Frédéric Batteux, 53, head of the immunology service at Cochin.

By the end of the weekend, around 100 people will have received their dose of the precious serum.

- a "civic" gesture -

Others got ahead of them: Thursday, the Nancy CHRU already announced the first injections, even before the government gave the green light to the early vaccination of caregivers.

Friday, the Ambroise-Paré hospital in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine) inaugurated the campaign within the Public Assistance-Hospitals of Paris (AP-HP).

It will "gradually extend to all the other establishments" of the group, indicates its managing director Martin Hirsch who expects "ten sites from next week".

All staff aged at least 50 working in contact with patients, including administrative agents, will be able to access it, ie a quarter of some 100,000 AP-HP employees.

Those under the age of 50 "with co-morbidity" are also entitled to it, in accordance with the recommendations of the health authorities.

Liberal health professionals are also welcome, like Dr. Patrick Bouet, 65, president of the Order of Physicians, who came to be vaccinated at Hôtel-Dieu on Saturday.

Contaminated by the coronavirus in March, he considers "normal to be among the first", always in the name of "exemplarity".

A motivation shared by Virginie Léonard, midwife at Necker hospital, informed the same morning by its director.

"I jumped at the opportunity to be among the first," she says, proud to accomplish a "civic" gesture.

"This is very important, especially in obstetrics" because "the sooner we will be vaccinated, the faster we will be able to treat in the well-being", she underlines, evoking the difficulties posed by the wearing of the mask and sometimes the absence of spouses in maternity hospitals.

According to her, doubts about the vaccine weigh little in the face of the trauma of the epidemic: "the crisis was very trying, colleagues were sent to services where many people died, it motivates them to be vaccinated".

© 2021 AFP