La France began selling its surplus vaccines against influenza A (H1N1), but the priority is to immunize the French, says the Health Minister, Roselyne Bachelot.
“The French government priority is to continue to offer the French population vaccination remains the best protection against this new virus,” says in a statement.
Roselyne Bachelot confirmed the information published . In France: Paris has already sold 300,000 doses in Qatar and two million are underway to transfer to Egypt “.
“Contacts are underway with other countries, especially Ukraine and Mexico,” added the Minister of Health who spoke of “transfer for value” without giving further financial details.
According to Le Parisien, the doses are sold at the price they were purchased from pharmaceutical companies, or 6.25 to 10 euros depending on the product.
The paper suggests a total of 16.1 million for contracts with Qatar and Egypt.
This operation, conducted jointly by the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs, aims to reduce the bill for the vaccination campaign of mass determined by the government, the newspaper said.
The purchase of 94 million doses has cost 869 million euros, Roselyne Bachelot said in a statement.
CAMPAIGN revived as of Monday
The Minister explained that the sale of French stocks is the result of “immunization schedule at a dose” finally adopted by the government, which had originally planned to immunize French via two injections.
“It became clear that France would have to run, depending on the pace of deliveries, a surplus of vaccine,” said Roselyne Bachelot.
“In a spirit of cooperation with countries that are in demand and good logistics management of its stock of vaccines, France has decided to sell vaccines to foreign countries as and to the extent that the quantities delivered it would, “she writes.
According to Le Parisien, some 9 million doses have been given to parallel the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nearly five million people were vaccinated in France against the disease, according to the latest tally from the National Institute of Health Surveillance, had caused 198 deaths in December 29.
After the holiday season, during which the device vaccination has been lightened, the Interior Ministry announced that the campaign would be revived.
Throughout the week, vaccination centers will open up to three shift per day, has assured the ministry Thursday.
In addition, the campaign will be intensified in schools and colleges and large companies are able to offer their employees and their families to get vaccinated.
“The director of the World Health recently reiterated that the virus is ‘unpredictable’ and that can cause a second peak epidemic or mutate, Roselyne Bachelot said in a statement.