French Prime Minister Jean Castex said a three-phase COVID-19 vaccination program will be launched in "a matter of weeks" and people will have the jabs free of charge and voluntarily.
According to Xinhua news agency reported, Castex on Thursday said the vaccination drive would be deployed gradually "according to a simple logic: priority is given to the most vulnerable people and those most likely to develop serious forms of the disease.”
The first stage drive will take place in January targeting the elderly in nursing homes and their medical staff who are at risk involving 1 million people.
The French government expects to vaccinate 14 million people in February, having age-related health risks or chronic diseases with a broader inoculation plan aiming at the general public for the spring.
"We will be ready for the first vaccinations as soon as the vaccines are available," Castex told reporters.
France has ordered some 200 million doses from different pharmaceutical companies to inoculate 100 million people, more than France's 67 million inhabitants as "a margin of safety," he added.
Castex said the vaccines, which cost 1.5 billion euros (the US $1.82 billion), would be free for all and not mandatory. He noted that the vaccination plan was based on three pillars -- "security, transparency and proximity."
Responding to suspicions over vaccines, he said, "I hear the reluctance, the fears expressed by each of you. We will not start anything without the prior opinion of the National Authority for Health.”
He further said diverse vaccination of population is needed, as getting vaccinated means protecting others, “it's an altruistic act”.
France Health Minister Olivier Veran was of the same stance who said getting vaccinated would reduce the number of cases, protect citizens and the country's sanitary system, and ensure health security.
"The fear of the vaccine will not stop the virus," he said.
"Over the next few months, the vaccine will not fundamentally change the course of the epidemic," Veran noted, asking people to remain careful and continue to adhere to safety protocols like wearing masks.
European Medicines Agency approval is pending by December 29.
The French government will present its vaccination strategy to parliament for debate this month.
France recorded a total death toll of 54,140, while over 2.2 million people had a respiratory illness, as of Thursday.
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According to Castex the imposition of night curfew and lockdown in France resulted "is recording the strongest and fastest drop in the epidemic pressure in Europe" as a result of night-time curfew and lockdown.
"The epidemic situation is improving, but it's still fragile. Let us keep in mind the reality of the risk of the epidemic resurgence," he warned.
Source: IANS