In reassuring his fellow citizens and putting an end to the controversy around the Swedish-British vaccine, AstraZeneca, suspended in several European countries, the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, and in a symbolic gesture, received a first dose of said vaccine on Friday.
When leaving the vaccination center, Castex, 55 years old and therefore not appearing among the priority audiences, wanted to be reassuring: “I did not feel anything at all, although I must admit that I am a little cozy” .
The head of Matignon announced last Tuesday his intention to be vaccinated “very quickly” if the suspension of AstraZeneca was lifted.
Earlier in the day, the High Authority of Health (HAS) had given the green light to the resumption “without delay” of vaccination with AstraZeneca, while recommending that it be reserved for people aged 55 and over.
Like several countries, France had suspended AstraZeneca injections as a precaution on Tuesday, after the reporting of serious side effects such as bleeding disorders and blood clots, pending the opinion of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Thursday, the latter judged the vaccine of the Swedish-British group “safe and effective”.
France, which has more than 91,700 deaths from the coronavirus, has high hopes for its vaccine campaign to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the middle of a third wave, the country was forced to confine 16 departments, including the capital Paris and its region.
