France expects to vaccinate 10 million people by mid-April

French Prime Minister Jean Casteks promised to speed up vaccination in the country, at the moment 3.2 million citizens have been vaccinated against COVID-19, of which 1.8 million received a second dose.

"By mid-April, we will be able to vaccinate, provided that the enterprises supply (vaccines), as it was planned, at least 10 million people, that is, completely everyone from the priority categories provided for vaccination," Kasteks said on Thursday at a press conference in Paris.

"Until mid-May, 20 million people will be able to be vaccinated, and by the summer we will receive enough doses to offer vaccinations to more than 30 million people," he stressed.

According to him, special attention was paid to the elderly residents of social institutions during vaccination. At the same time, he urged the staff of these institutions to be vaccinated, complaining that many of them continue to refuse this.

The head of the French government said that the vaccination campaign will be accelerated by allowing people over 65 years old to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine. Vaccine supplies will increase in the coming weeks. France expects 22 million doses in March-April.

People over 50 years old with comorbid conditions will be able to get vaccinated in their pharmacies from March 15, as soon as the next batch of AstraZeneca vaccine is received, the Prime Minister said.