Paris (AFP)
"It is all together that we will defeat the virus. We continue!" Tweeted Emmanuel Macron on Monday, announcing that the milestone of 40 million people vaccinated for the first time had been crossed.
"40 million French people have received at least one dose of vaccine, or nearly 60% of the population (+ 4 million in fifteen days)", wrote in a tweet the president, who is currently in French Polynesia.
This milestone was reached a few hours after the adoption by parliament of the bill providing for the controversial extension of the health pass and the vaccination obligation for caregivers, which Emmanuel Macron announced on July 12 to deal with the "fourth wave "of the epidemic linked to the progression of the Delta variant.
They are nearly 50% (33.2 million) to have a complete vaccination schedule, according to the Ministry of Health.
Prime Minister Jean Castex, who had set himself the target of these 40 million before the end of July, has already set the next milestone at 50 million first-time vaccinated at the end of August.
From Polynesia, Emmanuel Macron had launched this weekend "a very strong message to call each and everyone to be vaccinated" to protect themselves and others.
He also blasted "irresponsibility" and "selfishness" of those who refuse to be vaccinated, after new demonstrations by opponents on Saturday.
According to key figures communicated on Sunday by Public Health France, the health situation remains generally stable despite the skyrocketing cases of contamination for about two weeks (16,167 new cases on Sunday).
Hospitals had 6,843 Covid-19 patients with 92 new 24-hour admissions, of which 886 are in critical care departments.
111,644 deaths have been recorded in France since the start of the pandemic.
© 2021 AFP