Paris (AFP)

The French must have more confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine so that the vaccination objectives against Covid-19 are achieved, warned Jean Castex on Saturday, anxious to protect the current improvement in the health situation.

"Above 55 years, the authorities are all unanimous, in France as elsewhere, that there is no danger", launched the Prime Minister after the visit of a vaccinodrome in La Defense, near Paris : "I urge you to get vaccinated with all vaccines, especially with AstraZeneca".

According to figures from the Ministry of Health arrested on Sunday, only 75% of AstraZeneca doses received were injected, against 90% for the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine.

The government had been thinking for several days about the best way to get its message across on the Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca serum - which had been briefly suspended after rare cases of serious side effects, before being reserved for over 55s.

Since the start of vaccination with AstraZeneca, "30 cases, including 9 deaths" of rare thromboses have occurred in France, out of more than 3,855,000 doses administered on April 29, according to the French Medicines Agency (ANSM) .

The prime minister's direct remarks on Saturday reflect the executive's fear that persistent mistrust of AstraZeneca will prevent it from reaching the goal of 30 million French people vaccinated by mid-June, one of the pillars of its strategy against the epidemic.

With 25.1 million injections in total (first doses and boosters) as of Friday, including a record day Thursday at more than 600,000 doses, nearly a third of the adult population (33.3%) received a first dose and 14.5% two doses.

Vaccination will be extended from Monday to all over 50, without condition of health, and to all adults without condition of age from Wednesday in case of appointments available the day before for the next day.

- "Successful reopening" -

The intermediate target of 20 million vaccinated by mid-May seems attainable, and as the campaign progresses, intentions to be vaccinated increase among the youngest, to 55% among 18-24 year olds (against 36% a month earlier) and 43% among 25-34 year olds (against 39%), according to a survey by Public Health France from April 21 to 23.

With fewer positive cases, fewer patients in hospital, fewer deaths and more vaccinated, the indicators of the Covid-19 epidemic are improving, but health experts remain cautious before the next stages of deconfinement, judged at risk.

The decline continues slowly, especially with the number of hospitalizations over seven days, to 8,700 Friday, down from a peak to more than 14,700 in mid-April.

This week, the number of hospital deaths hovered between 200 and 300 per day, a declining rate as well.

It was 227 on Friday.

In total, 106,130 people have died from Covid-19 since the start of the epidemic, the vast majority of older people, more fragile.

In a still tense health context, France will extend, from midnight Saturday, to seven additional countries (Turkey, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Qatar) the mandatory quarantine on arrival on the territory , already in force especially for India and Brazil, a government source told AFP on Friday.

Last week, marked by the reopening of primary schools, around 150,000 positive cases for the coronavirus were reported, against more than 202,000 the previous one, according to Public Health France.

In Nanterre, Jean Castex underlined for the moment his ambition to "succeed in the reopening, the gradual return to a normal life".

And to insist: "I appeal to everyone in view of this coming long Ascension weekend, where we must remain very careful".

Despite general caution, the government will submit to deputies on Monday its plan to end the health crisis, to allow the gradual lifting of restrictions in the face of Covid-19.

Some provisions like the health pass are cringe among parliamentarians.

© 2021 AFP