Tuesday evening, Emmanuel Macron met the local elected officials of Touraine, and unveiled to them his avenues for accelerating the vaccination campaign against the coronavirus.

For the first phase, the executive wants to install in January 5 or 6 centers per department, said the President of the Republic according to participants. 

Emmanuel Macron unveiled Tuesday evening to local elected officials in Touraine, whom he met for two hours in Tours, the main lines of the acceleration of the vaccine strategy against the coronavirus, criticized for its slowness, elected officials reported after the meeting .

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"The President of the Republic told us that there would be two phases: one until the end of March to vaccinate the most vulnerable and caregivers, with a simplification of the collection of consent in nursing homes", explained to the 'AFP the president of the departmental council of Indre-et-Loire Jean-Gérard Paumier.

"Then, a much broader strategy, which he called the influenza type, as we do today for the flu, with vaccines that are easier to keep."

For the first phase, the executive intends to install in January 5 or 6 centers per department, somewhat on the model of the Covid screening centers set up in recent months, said Emmanuel Macron, according to participants in this meeting which included 16 elected.

The Head of State considered that it was necessary to "simplify" the collection of the consent of residents of nursing homes, because the methods adopted initially, in accordance with ethical requirements, were "an obstacle to efficiency". 

A communication campaign on vaccination

Emmanuel Macron also announced to elected officials that a communication campaign on vaccination would be launched.

"The faster we can vaccinate people who want to do it, the better," said the head of state, according to the president of the department.

Jean-Gérard Paumier, who had sent the Head of State a letter to demand this deconcentration, welcomed a "departmentalization" of vaccination.

"This recognition of the actors in the field seems to me to bode well," he said.

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The president finally warned that "the vaccine will not stop the crisis", the economic and social effects of which could be felt for many more months.

Many criticisms of the slowness of the campaign

Faced with numerous criticisms on the slow start of the vaccine campaign in France compared to Germany or the United Kingdom, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran announced Tuesday morning that the vaccination would be accelerated and simplified.

In particular, he announced that vaccination would be authorized in January for people over 75 who are not nursing homes, i.e. 5 million people, as well as firefighters and home helpers over 50.

The minister also announced the establishment of 100 vaccination centers for the city this week, 300 next week and 5 to 600 by the end of January.

This corresponds to the 5 or 6 centers per department mentioned by Emmanuel Macron.