Paris (AFP)

Emmanuel Macron welcomed Tuesday, during a weekly "vaccines" meeting at the Elysee Palace that the vaccination "is accelerating", with nearly 18 million doses injected, acknowledging however "difficulties to convince on the AstraZeneca ".

"Last week, we had 2.5 million injected doses, the highest figure over a week," he said.

The executive has set a goal of reaching 20 million vaccinated with at least one dose by mid-May, a goal that seems achievable at the current rate.

During this "vaccines" meeting that Emmanuel Macron gathers every Tuesday evening, in the presence in particular of Prime Minister Jean Castex, Minister of Health Olivier Véran and spokesperson Gabriel Attal, he stressed that France had "4 , 5 million vaccinated with the two doses (4.8 million, according to the Directorate General of Health) which places us among the countries which have vaccinated the most their adult population within the European Union ".

"Almost 70% of those over 70 are protected," he added.

The Head of State, however, mentioned several difficulties, including the reluctance of the French on the AstraZeneca vaccine, the mobilization of health personnel that must be intensified and the organization of the vaccination of priority professions.

"We have difficulties to convince on the AstraZeneca, we must think in terms of communication and ability to convince," he continued.

You have to "know how to maintain this rhythm and how to improve the levers", he continued.

Recalling that 20,000 health professionals were on the bridge in the 1,700 vaccination centers last week, he estimated that "if we want to continue to build up and last it is likely that we must improve this mobilization".

He finally welcomed the arrival of new Pfizer doses in the EU in the second quarter (7 million for France) and the green light Tuesday from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to the vaccine from the American group Johnson and Johnson, who "is considered safe" by the EMA, he added.

The EMA felt that blood clots should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of this vaccine.

© 2021 AFP