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PARIS (Reuters) – The French have been rushing for COVID-19 vaccines since the government introduced a mandatory health pass to access bars and restaurants, sparking debate over how to get more shots for fight the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus.
Governments around the world are using creative ways to encourage citizens to get vaccinated – several countries are offering lottery tickets, the Netherlands has offered pickled herring, and the United States is planning to offer cash rewards of $ 100 to attract vaccine latecomers.
France has taken a completely stricter approach, requiring health workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, while the country’s highest court on Thursday supported the introduction of health passes from the 9th. August.
Unions and some scientists have said the move, which has sparked protests in major cities, is too blunt an instrument and may worsen opposition to vaccines among those already reluctant.
French President Emmanuel Macron also runs the risk that the health pass could reignite the kind of yellow vest street protests that rocked the country at the start of his term and derailed his program for months.
But the country’s vaccination rate has jumped since the policy was announced on July 12 and so far polls have shown public support for the strict measures.
A survey carried out by the IPSOS polling organization on July 26 and 27 revealed that 60% of French people questioned were in favor of the obligation of a health subscription to access restaurants, cafes, shopping centers and for long-distance trips.
Research by another pollster, Ifop, conducted on July 21 and 22, found that 35% of people support the protests against health passes, 16% are indifferent and 49% oppose the protests.
In the meantime, the approach seems to be bearing fruit: France has overtaken the United States at the rate of first dose vaccinations on July 19, then its neighbor Germany on July 28, according to Our World in Data.
Just under 64% of people had received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of August 2, up from 53.6% on July 12.
It is not clear whether the brisk pace will be maintained, and some scientists are warning that the health pass may give those vaccinated the confidence to socialize, even though early data suggests injections do not stop transmission.
“Obviously, there has been a Macron effect when you look at vaccination bookings,” Martin Blachier, epidemiologist at Paris-based health data analytics company Public Health Expertise.
“Now we are wondering how things are going to be at the end of the summer,” he said.
The data may, however, give confidence to countries worried about capping vaccination rates, as the Delta variant, the fastest and most formidable version of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, raises concerns about potential new blockages.
US President Joe Biden has said it will be mandatory for federal workers to get vaccinated while English nightclubs and other high-traffic venues will require customers to show full proof of vaccination from the end of September.
CARROT OR STICK
France has seen a steady increase in daily immunizations – over 240,000 received their first injection on July 18, just over 300,000 on July 21 and over 360,000 on August 1.
As of July 12, 36.16 million people had received a blow, rising to 42.53 million as of August 1.
Vaccination rates have also increased steadily in Italy, where the government announced on July 22 that proof of vaccination or immunity would soon be required for a range of activities, including indoor dining and entry. in places such as gymnasiums, swimming pools, museums and cinemas.
Some 63.9% of adults received a first dose there, according to Notre Monde en Data, against 61.33%, a less pronounced increase than in France.
This may be because people are away during summer vacation, it may be too early to show up in the data, but it could also be a sign of a batting rather than carrot approach. will not work everywhere.
Nino Cartabellotta, president of the Gimbe Health Institute, said reluctance to vaccinate people over 50 continues to hamper deployment in Italy and concerns remain about vaccinating children over 12 years before the next school year.
(Reporting by Josephine Mason in London, Ingrid Melander, Christian Lowe and Matthias Blamont in Paris and Giselda Vagnoni and Emilio Parodi in Milan; Writing by Josephne Mason; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
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