France is to accelerate its vaccination programme with an extra 1.5m first jabs this months thanks to the arrival of the easier-to-use AstraZeneca vaccine, the PM Jean Castex just announced.
The AZ vaccine will allow France to complete 4m first jabs by end of Feb, instead of the existing target of 2.5m he told a press conference. The AZ vaccine is only approved for under-65's in Fr. It will therefore be offered to care/health workers and under-65s with health issues.
France will also open up 500,000 new appointments for over-75's this month and 1,200,00 extra slots next month (with more slots possible later) using Pfizer/ Moderna vaccines. This is a response to criticism in certain quarters (ie not just me) that Fr vax prog is too ponderous.
France has already completed 1.6 m jabs including around 60,000 2nd shots. Until today it had planned an extra 2.4m this month (1m first jabs and 1.4 second). This should now rise to 2.5m "first jabs" this month and about 4,000,000 injections overall. Much better.
The first of 2m plus AstraZeneca doses expected in France this month will be used from Sat., the PM said. The first injections will be offered to health professionals . This is a big shift in policy. Until now only over-75s and care/health workers over-55 were eligible for a jab
France will also open up 500,000 new appointments for over-75's this month and 1,200,00 extra slots next month (with more slots possible later) using Pfizer/ Moderna vaccines. This is a response to criticism in certain quarters (ie not just me) that Fr vax prog is too ponderous.
No dramatic new announcements otherwise. The employment minister Elisabeth Borne has called for all people working part of the week from home to do one day a week extra away from their workplace.
The first of 2m plus AstraZeneca doses expected in France this month will be used from Sat., the PM said. The first injections will be offered to health professionals . This is a big shift in policy. Until now only over-75s and care/health workers over-55 were eligible for a jab
Castex confirmed there would be no new lockdown for the time being, The epidemic stats don't justify it, he said.
Castex said earlier that the faster-moving UK and other variants were now 14% of all cases in France - more in some areas. The the health minister Olivier Veranjust said in reply to a question that the British variant of Covid-19 was spreading at 50% a week. But no lockdown...
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
