France: campaign for Covid-19 vaccines administered by occupational physicians to be launched shortly

France’s labour ministry has sent instructions to occupational health services (médecine du travail) as regards the implementation of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, the daily newspaper Les Echos reported on Monday 22 February. Occupational doctors will be able to take part in the Covid-19 vaccination campaign in France. Starting this week, occupational physicians that volunteer to take part in the campaign will receive an initial delivery of a vial containing 10 doses. This quota may be increased to two or three vials for the second delivery scheduled for 1 March, according to the protocol cited by the newsparer. Employees deemed “vulnerable”, aged between 50 and 64, will be given priority as the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is administered, but all employees must be informed and it will be the employee himself who will have to contact the H&S service to arrange an appointment. This procedure is designed to guarantee “respect for the confidentiality of vaccinations vis-à-vis employers”, according to the protocol. It is recommended meanwhile that vaccinations be administered on the premises of the occupational health services and “not on company premises”. As with all others subject to vaccination, employees must give their “informed consent” to the procedure and companies do not have the right to oblige their staff to get vaccinated. In view of the time that doctors are volunteering, logistical delays and the need to schedule appointments, the workplace vaccination campaign should begin on 1 March.