Weekly French vaccination thread.
What a confusing week. Confusion is bad, especially in France where anti-vax feeling is rife. And yet I’m going (for once) to defend France's vax effort from the more hysterical criticism (especially in the UK). 1/12
What a confusing week. Confusion is bad, especially in France where anti-vax feeling is rife. And yet I’m going (for once) to defend France's vax effort from the more hysterical criticism (especially in the UK). 1/12
https://twitter.com/frasermatthew/status/1373203556271022080
Despite a 3 day emergency pause in AstraZeneca shots, France kept up a respectable pace of jabbing this week – an average 168,407 first jabs a day, enough to hit is target of 10m by mid-April. The use of doses received from the EU, 50% at the end of Jan, is now around 80%.
2/12
2/12
Despite the howling mockery, France's decision on Friday to limit AZ shots to over-55s (for now) makes sense. Incidence of v. v. rare but grave types of blood clots (ie not all clots) has increased between 5 and 8 times amongst under-55’s in Europe who have taken AZ. 3/12
The Haute Autorité de Santé ruled that there was no reason to stop using AZ but it was prudent, for now, to bar under-55’s (who are mostly not due to be vaxxed until May). The only people affected will be health/care workers under 55, for whom other vaxes are available. 4/12
Cue spluttering mockery in UK media (but also from some in France). "Tee hee. France once banned AZ for over 75's. It’s now banning it for under 55’s." Yes. It’s confusing. Yes, confusion is bad. Yes, communication could be better
But what’s the alternative? Suppress facts? 5/12
But what’s the alternative? Suppress facts? 5/12
Some of the reporting in Britain and assertions made by UKG on this issue are frankly dishonest. It is claimed that the incidence of clotting after AZ jabs is “less than in normal population”. But that’s for all clots, not the v. rare and grave clots that are causing concern 6/12
According to yesterday’s H.A.S. report, there have been 25 post-AZ incidents of 2 rare clot conditions, including brain clots, in Europe (inc. UK) leading to 9 deaths. There have been 20,000,000 AZ doses given. That’s v. v. few cases but it’s 5 or 8 times the “normal” rate. 7/12
Much UK commentary suggests it’s dangerous and somehow anti-British to cast doubts on AZ . It’s unfortunate that concerns have arisen but it would be more dangerous to public vaccine confidence in Europe to cover them up (which is what some UK media, even BBC, seem to want) 8/12
Back to this week’s figures. There certainly was a dip in France’s vax rate because of the pause in AZ jabs. But thanks in part to a big effort again last weekend, the stats are reasonable. As of Thurs. night, Fr. had given 5,748,698 1st jabs and 2,393,568 2nd jabs. 9/12
In terms of 1st jabs this was 1,178,850 in 7 days or 168, 407 a day. To reach the govt target of 10m 1st jabs by 15 April, France now needs to keep up a rate of 151,832 a day. I suspect the target will be EXCEEDED. Published figures suggest use of doses is now over 80%
10/12
10/12
The next govt targets – 20m by mid-May and 30m by end of June - will be much tougher, especially if the AZ ban for the under-55’s is maintained. But big supplies of Pfizer doses plus many more Moderna and the first Johnson and Johnson 1-dose vaxes are expected in April. 11/12
It can still be done – and given the disturbing surge of UK variant Covid cases in some parts of France – it MUST be done. 12/12
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