The government is trying to simplify a system which has left France trailing in the wake of neighbouring countries in the effort to vaccinate frontline medical workers and those most at risk.
William Dab, a former boss of the French Health Services, has observed that, at the current rate of progress, the vaccination programme will take 5,000 years.
Nous simplifions la campagne de vaccination :
— Olivier Véran (@olivierveran) January 5, 2021
➖ En remplaçant la consultation pré-vaccinale par un dispositif plus direct
➖ Davantage de soignants pourront vacciner sous la responsabilité d’un médecin
➖ Pré-inscription par internet, téléphone ou sur @TousAntiCovid pic.twitter.com/rSo7JiYczp
Health Minister Olivier Véran on Tuesday promised a more rapid route to vaccination.
He aims to replace the currently obligatory pre-vaccination consultation with a doctor by a more direct procedure. Véran said it will be possible to have the injections administered by a range of qualified health workers, under the supervision of a doctor.
Those wishing to register for vaccination will soon be able to do so on internet, or by phone, or using the TousAntiCovid government application.
Delays will still be inevitable, even for volunteers.
"We won't have all the doses that we want from one day to the next, but this is an important step," the health minister insisted.
Véran is to present full details of the new online registration scheme on Thursday evening when he joins the prime minister's press conference.
The French remain broadly unconvinced by the vaccine. Barely 40 percent of those questioned in a recent opinion poll said they were prepared to accept the treatment.
