“Making the vaccine mandatory is not the right way to go”

The polls are unanimous: almost half of the French are skeptical about getting vaccinated against Covid-19. While a first request for marketing authorization was made on Friday by the giant Pfizer, associated with the German BioNTech, the first injections could take place in France starting from the beginning of 2021. Faced with the distrust of the population, some are already proposing to make this vaccine mandatory. “This is not the right way to proceed”, argues Alain Fischer, immunologist and member of the Covid-19 vaccine committee, invited on Saturday by Europe 1.

“We have to explain the recommendations to the French by providing them with clear and honest information,” he says. To convince them, Alain Fischer suggests going through several channels. “This can be done through classic communication campaigns but also with a relay of doctors. We will also be able to avail ourselves of the help of civil society and associations that will be able to give explanations to the population”.

“There are no doubts about the safety criteria”

But the French aren’t the only ones interested, a recent study revealed on Friday. “In most of the 19 countries studied, the current levels of acceptance of a vaccine against Covid-19 are insufficient to meet the requirements of community immunity,” warn the authors of this work published in Medicine of nature. They explain this mistrust in particular with a “lack of trust in the government”.

Many are also those who are wary of a vaccine found “too quickly”. On the contrary, says Alain Fischer, we must “pay homage to the scientific and technological skill” which made it possible to achieve the first results in less than a year. “It doesn’t mean we allow anything anyway.” Before being put into circulation, vaccines in France must be approved by the European Medicines Agency and the National Medicines Safety Agency. Those vaccinated will then be carefully monitored.

“There are no doubts about the safety and efficacy criteria compared to traditional standards”, Alain Fischer emphasizes. And to add: “He will do everything to facilitate the vaccination once validated”.