People in France could start receiving the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech in the last week of December if European Union authorities approve it next week, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Wednesday, reports FRANCE 24.
Castex told parliament that the vaccine campaign in France would then be stepped up in January, with the elderly and other more vulnerable groups coming first in the queue.
France has already pre-ordered 200 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, Castex added.
The government is hoping to give jabs to around one million people in nursing homes during January and February, and then a further 14-15 million people in the wider population between March and June.
France is waiting for the EU’s regulatory agency to approve a vaccine. The European Medicines Agency has brought forward a meeting on the issue to December 21st, from December 29th.