In the columns of the "JDD", the "Mister vaccine" of the government, Alain Fischer, estimated that the vaccination of minors over 12 years old, which must begin on Tuesday, was an "arithmetic imperative" to approach immunity group against Covid-19. "We must go" on vaccination, supports the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, in the same newspaper.
The vaccination of minors over 12 years old, which is due to start on Tuesday, is an "arithmetic imperative" to approach group immunity against Covid-19, assured Professor Alain Fischer, "Mr. vaccine" of the government, in an interview with the
Journal du Dimanche
.
"The idea of vaccinating teenagers instead of reluctant adults is ethically unacceptable" but "opening Tuesday to teenagers is justified" because "it is an arithmetic imperative: to achieve group immunity, it is necessary to vaccinate 90% of 12 to 100 years old, so that it will remain out of reach even by vaccinating almost all adults, "he says.
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An "individual benefit in the social and psychological sense"
The government announced on June 2 that young people between the ages of 12 and 18 could be vaccinated from June 15.
Beyond the "arithmetic" imperative, Professor Fischer also mentions for teenagers - who have a minimal health risk in the face of Covid - an "individual benefit in the social and psychological sense" because "they pay too heavy a price for the pandemic "with dropping out of school and very heavy psychological impacts for young people deprived of college or high school.
"The vaccination will reduce the risk of closing establishments at the start of the school year, we know that teenagers participate as much as adults in the circulation of the virus, so we have to go," continues the official.
Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Saturday that the symbolic bar of 30 million French people having received a first dose had been crossed, a "beautiful symbol", according to Professor Fischer but who finds "more speaking to reason from the number of French protected ".
"Let's make a very simple addition: if we add people who have been fully vaccinated, those who have received a dose for at least two weeks and are therefore already partially immune, those who have natural immunity after having had the Covid, we arrive at around 32 millions ", calculates the doctor.
"Group immunity on the horizon"
"So nearly half of the population is protected. There is group immunity on the horizon," says Alain Fisher.
"But it's like a marathon of which we have already run two-thirds. And of which we know that the last will be the most difficult," he warns, however.
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In the columns of the same newspaper, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, therefore strongly encourages vaccination. "In June, we have doses of the vaccine, a lot. We must therefore take advantage of it and not be afraid. We must find flexibility. But we must go!" One of the government's objectives will also be to ensure that people with chronic diseases are contacted more by Health Insurance because the health authorities have noticed that they were not vaccinated very much although they have been a priority for a while.