Vaccination - Q&A from the press briefing (8 April 2021)

Q : In an open letter to the Minister, the CFDT-MAE labor union deplored the lack of a vaccination strategy for Foreign Ministry diplomats posted abroad, as well as their families, and demanded that measures be swiftly put in place.
“Employees sometimes try to find a way to get vaccinated locally, with vaccines that are not approved in France, and when they succeed, they have to sign a release to be provided to their chief of post. Others turn in vain to local EU delegations. Finally, some think about seeking the necessary vaccines in France or a third country and bringing them back to their post with the means they have at hand,” the letter said. What is the situation, exactly, and what do you recommend for them and for French nationals living abroad?

A : We dealt with this matter several months ago, both for French citizens living abroad and employees of the government and public sector operators.

The mechanism must be carefully articulated in regard to both the local availability of vaccines approved by the EU and our national vaccine strategy, its timetable, and the priorities defined by the Government.

As has always been the case since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, we will pay close attention to the specific needs of French citizens abroad and our employees. It is a priority for the Government.