"We went from heroes to pet peeves", these caregivers who refuse to be vaccinated

Among Emmanuel Macon's important announcements on Monday evening is the compulsory vaccination of caregivers (and non-caregivers) in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics or even home helpers. And despite the threats, many still refuse to be vaccinated.

We suspected it, and it's official; the president announced compulsory vaccination for healthcare workers; the people concerned “will have until September 15 to be vaccinated”. Emmanuel Macron then indicated that after this date, "controls and sanctions" will be implemented: they will not be paid and will not be able to come to work, then decided the government.

If 80.5% of private doctors and 63.5% of caregivers working in clinics or hospitals have received at least one dose of vaccine, for others, there is no question of being vaccinated despite the work ban.

This is the case of Carole, 32, nursing assistant in an Amiens interim box. She mainly works with the elderly. The latter had proposed to vaccinate its employees from April. However, she refuses to be vaccinated. Why ? "I just had my child in February. I am still breastfeeding and I am afraid of the effects it may have, even if we assure that there are none". Even if studies have proven that the vaccine had no negative effect on breast milk, Carole still has doubts: "When we were offered to be vaccinated at work, it was with AstraZeneca, and we were said it was normal. And look what people are saying today, so I think it's best to wait a little longer."

This morning, she received an email from her employer reminding her that it was now necessary to be vaccinated before September 15. In response, she sent him a letter of resignation. Not out of emotion, she says, but a carefully considered choice: "I've been thinking about changing jobs for a long time, it's an opportunity. And it's also the way to have a longer maternity leave".

other priorities

"Not even a dose, nothing at all. I protect myself, I have my mask. So why would you want more?" This is what Anaïs, a nurse in an Ehpad, answers. She lives and works near Annecy. Although she understands the importance of vaccination, she fails to see why caregivers should be the government's priority when it comes to vaccination. "We may be in contact with people at risk, but we don't have time to prepare. And besides that, the number of elderly people who are not vaccinated is still significant, and is not not under the obligation to do it, that is the most revolting”, she believes.

Other caregivers complain of being at the center of the debates on compulsory vaccination, a form of scapegoating. His colleague, Dominique, shares his point of view and finds the measure stigmatizing: "We are talking about caregivers, that we must protect patients from Covid, but families? Some do not take more precautions and they are the ones who contaminate the residents. It feels like we've gone from heroes to pet peeves."

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Both denounce a lack of “recognition” at a time when she and her colleagues “suffer the Covid understaffed”. In their structure where nearly 65 elderly people live, the staff is limited, and they even have to call on temporary workers or rely on students. So this refusal to be vaccinated is for her a means of exerting pressure, to ask for "more means, more personnel and a salary increase".

Others go further: "Numbers, numbers, numbers: we're fed up!", That's what Fabien, an accountant in a medical structure, answers. He even comes to wonder if the government is not inflating the figures. "We experienced the first and second wave, it's true, but the third, we saw nothing at all". However, he does not consider himself an antivax. "I just want to have the freedom to choose when I want to get vaccinated. I feel like my choices are being encroached on, and if I have to take to the streets to protest, I'll be the first."

Vaccinations already compulsory

In France, four vaccines are already compulsory for hospital and nursing home staff: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis and hepatitis B. The obligation of vaccination against influenza was suspended by decree in 2006, after the opinion of the High Council public hygiene which considered that it "would risk altering the adherence of professionals".

France is not the first country to impose compulsory vaccination for caregivers. In Italy, a law, which came into force in April, already requires caregivers to be vaccinated against Covid-19. In the event of failure or refusal, the caregiver, if he works in contact with the public, is assigned to another service or suspended without pay if the employer has no new tasks to offer him. Result: less than 3% of employees in the Italian health sector refused to undergo this vaccination. 300 of them have decided to go to court to obtain the lifting of this obligation. The hearing is scheduled for July 14.

According to an Odoxa-Backbone Consulting poll for Le Figaro and France Info published on July 1, 58% of French people also approve of compulsory vaccination for the entire population.

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