Day: 28 December 2020

Whilst European governments have been making big waves about their new Covid vaccination programmes, France has opted for a more discreet roll out, mainly due to the population’s widespread distrust of the jab.

In the wake of the EU’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which had most European countries jumping for joy, France has kept a lower profile. The French people have received news of the approval of the jab with a typically sceptical eye, making it a harder sell for the citizenry.

Many recall past health scandals, some involving inoculations, and aren’t convinced that the jabs are as safe as they should or could be. The fear that they were rushed through the regulatory process too quickly so that big pharma could reap big profits or that they may have serious long-term side effects is also at the forefront of people’s concerns.

To try and help overcome apprehensions, the French have publicised the first recipients of the vaccines to show that it’s safe, though without the bells and whistles of televised broadcasts and government officials swarming the scene as seen in other places.

Mauricette, a 78-year-old former housekeeper, was the first to be inoculated on Sunday at the René-Muret Hospital outside Paris. The photos show a smiling lady being applauded by hospital staff.

Some 20 seniors and health care workers, including 65-year-old cardiologist Jean-Jacques Monsuez, were also vaccinated.

French President Emmanuel Macron, a Covid sufferer himself, asked his fellow countrymen and women to have faith in the researchers and doctors, reminding them that, “We are a nation of the Enlightenment and of Pasteur. Reason and science should guide us.”

The hope is that between the gentle messages put out by the government and the advice of doctors, people will gain confidence in the jab and realise it will be in their best interest, as well as in the best interest of the nation.

France has lost nearly 63,000 people to the virus and has endured two strict national lockdowns making it one of the harder hit countries in the world. The government is aiming to inoculate one million people by the end of February, mainly seniors, the vulnerable, and healthcare workers in efforts to stem the tide and get the country heading in the right direction again.

Overcoming hesitancy of the vaccine is key to making this a reality. The government is offering incentives, such as reminding the public that the jab is free of charge and not obligatory. Now it is up to the court of public opinion to decide… to jab or not jab.

 
Photo source: Pixabay
 
 

First detected in the United Kingdom, a new variant of the Covid virus has now spread outside the island nation and has been detected in France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, and Sweden, as well as farther afield in Canada, Australia, Jordan, Lebanon, Singapore and Japan.

As if the world needed another reason to see the back end of 2020, the coronavirus that has ravaged populations globally has now mutated with a strain that, whilst not thought to be more deadly, is believed to be more easily transmissible, possibly up to 70% more.

The Covid variant now found in Europe has put the whole of the southeast of England, including London, into the highest level of lockdown since before Christmas, with more areas of the country being placed on high alert in recent days.

The mutant strain has made its way onto the continent through travellers coming from the UK, though not all of the cases of this faster-moving virus seem to emanate from there. Japan and Canada have both recorded cases where the person has no known travel history or high-risk contacts.

Last week, South Africa announced they have a different, more infectious variant as well that has become the most dominant strain in the country, much like the UK strain is in that country.

France saw the first case over the weekend, as a French national who lives in London came down with the variant whilst visiting in Tours.

Viruses mutate all the time and mostly, the mutations are not cause for alarm. But this one has raised red flags. There are three reasons this new strain from the UK is attracting so much attention. First, it is replacing the other “versions” of the virus very quickly. Second, the mutations affect important parts of the virus. And finally, some of the mutations have shown an increased ability to infect human cells.

Though it is not known for certain, this new strain may also have the ability to infect children more readily, something not seen in previous strains. This does not mean children will become sicker, just that they can transmit the virus faster, causing unknown complications when they have contact with others.

Experts are assuring the public that the vaccines being rolled out are still effective against the virus, and are asking for vigilance, not panic.