Illustration of a vaccinodrome in Nantes, April 6, 2021 – J. Urbach / 20 Minutes
- Many mega vaccination centers are opening or are about to open their doors across the country.
- Only Nancy and Metz have it in the Grand-Est. In Alsace, the prefecture may talk about the month of June to open one, because it first intends to optimize the many existing centers.
But why is Alsace once again getting noticed? While vaccinodromes are opening or are about to open their doors in several large French cities, well over a hundred across the country by mid-April, the Grand-Est region seems to be devoid of them. snowshoeing for a region that has only two mega centers, one in Nancy and one, military, in Metz. Why “nothing” in Alsace, yet one of the largest living areas in the whole Region?
Although its hospital reception capacities hold up, there is nonetheless a slightly bitter feeling for a good number of inhabitants who look with envy at the Stade de France converted into a mega vaccination center, with its capacities of 10,000 doses per week. Or very soon in Toulouse, Bordeaux, Marseille, Rennes and many other cities. Well over a hundred vaccinodromes are planned by the end of April, or even the beginning of May. A bitter taste that sometimes leaves room for doubt or even slips into political fabrications in the run-up to regional elections.
In the meantime, in the rest of France, vaccinodromes are opening. Are the Alsatians the unloved? Too cautious? Doesn’t its European capital Strasbourg want to reassure European parliamentarians who shun it? These uncertainties are reinforced by the vague feeling of “better” vaccination coverage in the other departments. Departments which will however host vaccinodromes. If in Alsace the percentage of the population having already received one or two doses is around 13% (the lowest of all the Grand-Est), it is often higher in the other departments where these vaccinodromes open. The Gironde already shows a 14.3% and, by chance the Pyrénées Atlantiques, flirt with 15.3% …
“At this stage, the vaccination centers are sufficient”
Asked by 20 minutes on this question, the city of Strasbourg recalls that this is piloted by the prefecture and the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Grand-Est, even if some elected officials, in off, say they are unhappy with the situation. Contacted, the Bas-Rhin prefecture is reassuring. She recalls that there are 22 vaccination centers in the Bas-Rhin, including four recently installed. Or a capacity of 40,000 doses per week. However, only about 27,000 are used. “At this stage, the vaccination centers are sufficient to absorb the available doses. A vaccinodrome is planned for the month of June ”, specifies the prefecture. For its part, the ARS remains evasive to say the least: “Work is still in progress on the projects. The map has not yet been finalized, the prefects must make arbitrations in connection with the ARS. “
Alsace would therefore have a different strategy and would be cautious. It relies on its large network of vaccination centers and prefers “to start from what already exists, even if it means developing it, than to go too quickly to a large center”. “We know that we will need it, it’s obvious, but when there are enough doses”, we can still hear from the authorities. “They arrive, strongly, in April and May but they should be absorbed by the existing centers, assures the prefecture. Afterwards, if we have more doses, it can be put in place more quickly. “