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Boosters before the party
There is a lot going on at the Vaccination Center in Vitry-sur-Seine. Before the Christmas holidays, residents of the suburb south of Paris want to pick up their booster shot. Three hundred vaccinations are given here every day. The demand for it could be even more. The vaccination center has already expanded, says Chantal Simon, the center’s head nurse. “Yes, it’s true. People call and say there is nowhere for them to get an appointment.” But not only booster vaccinations are given. This pensioner was convinced of a first vaccination in view of the increasing number of infections in France. “So far I didn’t want to get vaccinated because I didn’t know what I was going to be injected. It actually takes years to develop vaccines, and things went quickly here …” Ultimately, it was her doctor who convinced her . And so she made an appointment and joined the queue of those who wanted to be vaccinated. The appearance of the not yet fully decoded virus variant Omikron may also contribute to the rush. “Omikron is there and it is not to be trifled with. I saw it on TV and in the newspaper and was scared.” Fear and caution – it was only on Monday that Interior Minister Jean Castex announced tightened measures with a view to Omikron. All nightclubs should close again before Christmas, and more stringent contact restrictions are also planned.
In France, too, there is concern about the new Omikron virus variant. Overall, the number of infections in the country is increasing. In a Paris suburb, the rush at a vaccination center was great this week.