The priority of the overseas territories for Novavax sparked mixed reactions on Friday in Overseas France, where opposition to vaccination against Covid remains strong against a backdrop of social crisis.
The Novavax, without messenger RNA, “it does not change anything”, reacted Guy Frédéric, president in Guyana of the association Health-respect for all, strongly mobilized against the obligation to vaccinate in this department where 60% of people over twelve are not or not completely vaccinated. “The vaccination obligation is the problem, not the type of vaccine”, he believes, regretting that “the government is bent on pushing through”.
“Colonial contempt”
This skepticism is shared in Guadeloupe, where the vaccination coverage (two doses) does not reach 42% among those over 12 years old. “We do not want Novavax, Pfizer, Moderna or any other, we want there to be health care in Guadeloupe, compliant, which sticks to the health reality of our country”, declared Gaby Clavier, union delegate UTS UGTG of the CHU of Guadeloupe.
Asked about the same subject, the leader of the LKP collective, Elie Domota, denounced a “total colonial contempt”. “We hear things that fall on the radio on TV, but we are not consulted, nor auditioned, nor negotiated on anything,” he said.
In recent months, opposition to the vaccination pass and the vaccination obligation for healthcare personnel in particular, has resulted in Martinique and especially in Guadeloupe by major social movements, roadblocks, and repeated violence.
Necessary pedagogy
“Distrust is general about vaccination and I would even say vaccines,” said Guadeloupean MP Max Mathiasin (MoDem). According to him, it is necessary “to do a lot of pedagogy” because “Novavax is a name that does not mean much to people”. Mr. Macron announced Thursday, by videoconference with elected officials from overseas departments and communities, that Novavax would be offered as a priority to overseas territories.
Serge Letchimy, president of the executive council of the territorial community of Martinique, had written to the Minister of Health Olivier Véran last week to demand guarantees of supply of Nuvaxovid (the name of the vaccine) for Martinique where, according to the ARS , 42.8% of people over 12 have so far received two doses of vaccines against Covid.
The first deliveries in France of the Novavax vaccine, which has just received the green light from the health authorities, will take place in the last week of February, according to the Ministry of Health, which estimates that it will receive “between 1.1 and 1.2 million doses” for the first delivery then “800,000 doses per week in March”.
In less than 24 hours, “about 500 people” have booked an appointment to receive a dose of Novavax in Guyana, said the ARS of Guyana according to which the new vaccine could “arrive between February 22 and 28” in this department where, according to the ARS, 40.7% of Guyanese over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated.
In Martinique, the CTM plans to reactivate temporary vaccination centers that had been set up in recent months.