The end of a year and a half soap opera. The High Health Authority (HAS) recommended Thursday to “lift the obligation to vaccinate” against Covid for caregivers and the Minister of Health François Braun told AFP that he “will follow (it) this opinion “.
In force for eighteen months, the obligation to vaccinate against Covid is coming to an end. The HAS has indeed reviewed its doctrine and now suggests that the injection “is strongly recommended” for the professionals concerned. “I will follow the advice of this scientific authority”, reacted the Minister of Health, promising to “consult the hospital federations and the orders of the health professions to define the methods of implementation” of this decision, which will “ quickly” the subject of a decree.
Seized in the fall by the Minister and by the National Assembly, the HAS ensures that its “recommendation to lift the obligation to vaccinate” against Covid “in no way constitutes a questioning of its previous opinions”. She stresses in passing that “the lifting of a vaccination obligation for professionals does not call into question the interest of this vaccination”.
A minority of agents were still refractory
His opinion nevertheless sounds the death knell for a controversial measure, imposed in the midst of a health crisis on 2.7 million people: caregivers but also staff in hospitals and retirement homes, paramedics, home helpers and even firefighters. Since September 2021, these professionals must attest to a complete vaccination schedule (two, then three doses), under penalty of being suspended, without remuneration.
A minority of refractory was still in this case in mid-March: “around 0.3% of agents” hospital according to the ministry, less than 2,000 among the liberals according to Health Insurance. The question of their reintegration has, however, become a political battle horse, in particular for La France insoumise and the National Rally.