A vaccination open to all without saying it?

The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, justified, Tuesday, May 4, in the name of "common sense" the opening to injections for all adults on simple declaration of a chronic disease, at a time when the indicators of the epidemic of Covid-19 are improving.

"We made the choice of common sense," said the minister on Europe 1, questioned on the government's desire to open vaccination "to all", but without officially announcing it.

"I could have asked four million French people," 18-50 year olds obese or suffering from chronic diseases, "to go to their doctor, to traffic congestion in medical offices in the midst of an epidemic wave, to ask them for a certificate according to which would have a disease ", he developed, but" I trust the French ".

"There may be workaround strategies but it will be at the margin", assured Olivier Véran, adding that it was up to "the medical teams in the centers (...) to take stock with the people who come get vaccinated "and that the most vulnerable remained a priority.

Since Saturday, vaccination has been open to all adults with certain chronic diseases exposing them to a severe form of Covid-19.

The Ministry of Health specified that the appointment would be made "on declaration" of these comorbidities and that no medical prescription would be required.

Nearly 25.2 million doses received last week

In fact, in some vaccination centers, caregivers already inject excess doses into the arms of healthy adults at the end of the day, rather than losing them.

Last week, voices were raised to ask the government to expand the audiences to be vaccinated, while appointments did not find takers in certain large centers, such as at the Stade de France.

The campaign will be officially open to everyone over 50 on May 15, and to all adults on June 15, but the prospect of vaccination incorporating a future health pass risks whetting the appetites of those who want to return to normal life. as quickly as possible.

On Monday, nearly 420,000 doses were injected, for a total of 22.8 million since the start of the campaign at the end of December (16.1 million first doses, 6.6 million second doses), and while more than 25.2 million doses were received in France last week.

Beyond nursing homes, where the full vaccination rate has reached 75%, the oldest people, and therefore those most at risk, are increasingly protected: 55% of 65-69 year-olds have received at least one dose (12 , 6% fully vaccinated), a figure which climbs to 73% for 70-74 year olds (27% fully vaccinated), and nearly 80% of 75-79 year olds (58.9% fully vaccinated).

"Too many patients in intensive care"

France expects more vials of the four vaccines authorized in May (4.5 million doses per week) and June (6.9 million weekly), a period during which the government hopes to remove the heaviest health restrictions, until at the total end of the curfew announced for June 30.

By then, the terraces, museums and cinema will be able to reopen on May 19, before restaurants on June 9.

The situation remains very tense in hospitals, whose intensive care units welcomed more than 5,600 Covid-19 patients nationally on Monday, or 111% of initial capacity occupancy, but below the 6,000 mark exceeded on the 26th. April.

"Today, there are too many patients in intensive care to resume care in the right way and in safety," said Olivier Véran, reaffirming that less urgent care cancellations had reached 80% in some areas.

But the continued decline in new cases of Covid-19 and the increase in the number of vaccinated gives hope for fewer hospital admissions.

Last week, 28,000 people tested positive on average every day from Monday to Friday, up from 36,000 the week before.

"The health burden will be able to be reduced", assured the Minister of Health, nevertheless cautious about the end of the barrier gestures.

In the immediate term, the High Council of Public Health recommends "to open the windows at least 5 minutes every hour" in the places which receive the public, in particular the schools, and to measure the renewal of the air with CO2 sensors to better fight Covid-19.

With AFP

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