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Tuesday, 12 January 2021_Barely 500 people were vaccinated in the first week of January in France; a dramatically low figure compared to other countries. French Prime Minister Castex promised to speed up the vaccination campaign. Many medical and scientific experts blame the French administration for its incompetence. It assigned, for instance, private firms like McKinsey to elaborate a vaccination strategy.
It is not the first time that the French government is sharply criticized for the way it handles the virus crisis. In March last year, masks were missing everywhere and tests were almost nonexistent. Government officials made themselves the target of ridicule with statements that masks were useless against the virus.
With a continuing privatization of the healthcare and no new facilities for the public health sector, France is poorly equipped to face a third wave. With 20,000 infections and almost 300 deaths daily, the French government is not in a position to be spared of the pressure.
There is only one consolation for the French pain: Germany and Sweden, countries that opted for a totally different approach, are today also faced with a dramatic increase in COVID infections.
It's not too late for the French government to avoid a new crisis, but time is running out.
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