It's an unimaginable performance just a few months ago.
France is preparing, at the beginning of September, to cross the threshold of 50 million first-time vaccinated and figure in the European and world leader in vaccination against Covid-19.
Renowned champion of “antivax”, France finally won the title of model country after a summer rush in vaccinodromes.
Between the supply difficulties, the setbacks of AstraZeneca and the reluctance of part of the population, this campaign, which began at the end of December, saw many twists and turns until July 12 and the announcement by Emmanuel Macron of the enlargement of the sanitary pass.
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Despite this resounding success, the government has modest victory.
“There is still work to do.
There are still populations that are not vaccinated.
They are exposed and therefore in danger in a certain way ”, admitted the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, on visit, at the end of August, in a mobile vaccination center.
Two million fragile people to reach
Indeed, behind this impressive figure of 50 million first-time vaccinated hides disparities and loopholes that the executive intends to fill in this return.
First gap: the vaccination of seniors is only progressing at the margin.
More than 11% of those over 75 and almost 9% of the 60-74 age group have not received any dose.
In addition, 15% of chronically ill patients in France suffering from cancer, diabetes, obesity or hypertension are not vaccinated.
By way of comparison, our Belgian, Spanish and Portuguese neighbors have managed to vaccinate almost all vulnerable groups.
In addition to the recall campaign for a 3rd dose intended for those over 65, "the priority of priorities is the two million elderly or sick French people who have not yet been vaccinated", recently insisted the Minister of Health. , Olivier Véran.
Faced with the limits of the incentive effect of the health pass, the authorities recently launched new devices to reach these French people likely to contract serious forms and saturate hospitals.
Thus, letters will be sent directly over the next few weeks to the elderly to offer them time slots with a transport voucher to go to the vaccination center.
“The elderly are all identified in France on the health insurance registers, and also on the municipal electoral roll files.
It should be quickly possible to locate them and go to them to offer them vaccination, assures epidemiologist Antoine Flahault contacted by France 24. "The proportion of antivax in these age groups has no reason to "to be higher than that of the general population, ie less than 3.5% in France. We can therefore maintain the ambition to vaccinate more than 95% of people over 60 in France."
Vaccinate better and a lot
Another axis of the French strategy for this new school year, the vaccination of 12-18 year olds opened since mid-June.
To exceed the current coverage rate of 64% in this age group, the executive has decided to entrust colleges and high schools with the task of carrying out vaccination campaigns.
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Several devices are offered: supervised movement of pupils to a center or that of mobile teams within establishments.
After a phase of obtaining consent from the families, the first injections began.
The government is giving itself two months to complete this operation.
According to Antoine Flahault, “12-18 year olds could even benefit from compulsory vaccination.
This would greatly secure their return to school and their schooling during the coming cold season, ”argues the epidemiologist.
“We must do everything to protect young people, but also the whole community because they are one of the main drivers of current contamination.”
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Along with these targeted campaigns, the government wants to continue pushing for mass vaccination because the rate of injections has been weakening for several weeks.
A little more than 100,000 first doses are given each day today, against more than 300,000 at the beginning of August.
To remedy this, the authorities are launching ephemeral operations this fall.
Thus, it was possible to be vaccinated against Covid-19 without an appointment on the weekend of September 4 and 5.
Vaccination marathon overseas
The figure of 50 million vaccinated also reveals enormous disparities between the metropolis and the overseas territories even if the gap is tending to close.
“Our country is now experiencing a two-speed epidemic,” said government spokesman Gabriel Attal.
“Vaccination remains too weak even if it tends to progress, the situation remains extremely worrying”.
In the West Indies, only 38% of Guadeloupeans have received at least one dose according to the Regional Health Agency against 73% in metropolitan France.
If vaccination has progressed strongly this summer, it remains insufficient in Martinique or Reunion, where 54% of the population has received at least one dose.
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Plunged into a critical situation, Polynesia has also embarked on a marathon with the objective of 70% of vaccinated.
"Many Polynesian families have lost one of their own to the disease, it encourages them to be vaccinated", explains to AFP Daniel Ponia, in charge of vaccination at the Covid-19 platform of the Polynesian Department of Health, came to help organize this vaccination center installed in the courtyard of the presidency in Papeete.
"I lost a friend of mine who was not vaccinated," recounts Lii Johr, who came to receive a dose on Saturday, despite her phobia of injections.
"We are afraid of the vaccine, we do not know what is inside. But if we think carefully, it is not just us that it concerns, it is global, then it is better to be done prick ”.
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