Paris has five centers planned to vaccinate priority people against Covid-19

The Covid-19 vaccine is not there yet, but Paris is starting to prepare. At the request of state services, the city of Paris has identified five sites that could be used across the capital to conduct a relatively massive vaccination campaign starting in January 2021. These five sites – the location of which remains confidential – would be intended only for vaccination of people over 65 and other priority groups. This was indicated by the socialist mayor, Anne Hidalgo, and her health assistant, Anne Souyris, during a meeting with the mayors of the district on Friday 20 November.

The device has not yet been shut down and the list of sites may still evolve, said Anne Hidalgo. During the summer, while the prospect of a vaccine still seemed remote, four scenarios had been raised during discussions between the state and the city of Paris. The first three aimed to vaccinate all Parisians (more than 2 million people) in two weeks, three months or four months. The last one focused on vaccinating priority people, i.e. 30 to 40% of the population.

“Initially, the prefecture asked us to work mainly on the second scenario”, Anne Souyris explained. To vaccinate all of Paris in ninety days, it would have been necessary to install 25 centers in the capital, that is one in two per district, and mobilize more than 3,000 people. But while the city hall had started offering fifteen sites, the process was halted in September “At the request of the regional health authority”, added the assistant.

Target the most vulnerable

Change of goal. In November, several labs announced promising preliminary results, and a first vaccine could be authorized in December or January. “We are in an old two-seater, in the middle of the Mont Blanc tunnel, and suddenly we see a light at the end”, in the photo Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, president of the scientific council, invited to the meeting with elected officials.

Now, “We have rather started with the fourth scenario”, according to Anne Souyris. No question of immunizing all Parisians. However, vaccines will not be available in sufficient quantities. Anne Hidalgo discussed it with Jean Castex on Thursday. “The Prime Minister and his chief of staff told us: “Don’t launch on all-out devices from January, as it will initially only be the priority audience“ “, reported the mayor of Paris.

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