France urges more COVID jabs against variant threats

After a slowdown in reservations, the French authorities on Tuesday asked for more people to receive their Covid shots before the more contagious Delta strain of the virus takes hold.

“We have the doses, we’re organised, we can’t miss this chance,” a health ministry spokeswoman said at a weekly press conference.

“There are 300,000 slots available in the next three days for people to get their first injection,” she said.

As it emerges from a third coronavirus lockdown, France is rushing to inoculate as many people as possible, trying to avoid the rapid surge in illnesses caused by the variation initially discovered in India, which impacted Britain and other nations.

Following the successful injection of 20 million initial doses in mid-May, France now plans to deliver 40 million first jabs by the end of August, with 66 percent of persons over the age of 18 being fully vaccinated.

Jabs are now accessible to anyone aged 12 and up, and health authorities are preparing to ensure that vaccinations continue during the summer vacation season.

“It’s not because those close to you are vaccinated that you should think it’s OK to wait until you’re back from vacation to do so yourself,” the spokeswoman said.

According to the most recent ministry estimates, almost 32 million people, or just under 48 percent of the population, have gotten at least one dose. We The World Magazine