What vaccination strategies will the states adopt?
The laboratories involved in the race for a Covid-19 vaccine all suggest that it will be possible to launch vaccination campaigns in the coming weeks. Some vaccines are expected to be available in France by the end of December or early January, and a second generation will arrive in the spring.
Vaccination will not be mandatory. This announcement aligns with the stance of the French National Authority for Health, which “considers that, in the current context, Covid-19 vaccination should not be mandatory, neither for the general population nor for healthcare professionals.” Given the unclear delivery schedule of vaccine doses and—at this stage—the lack of hindsight on future vaccines and their ability to limit the spread of the virus, “it would not be justified.”
These precautions are warranted due to the French population’s reluctance to get vaccinated: just under two out of three French people (60%) say they are willing to get vaccinated, according to an Odoxa-Dentsu Consulting survey.
In detail, the government is being cautious with its vaccination plan; it will be up to health authorities, along with the state and local communities, to define the practical deployment methods of the vaccines with hospitals, nursing homes, and all general practitioners.
