Unvaccinated caregivers could soon return to their jobs. The High Authority for Health (HAS) recommends that vaccination against Covid-19 for health professionals is no longer “mandatory” but only “strongly recommended”, in a notice published on Thursday.
The HAS now recommends that “vaccination against Covid-19 (…) be strongly recommended for students and professionals in the health and medical-social sectors”, in these recommendations published after a referral from the General Directorate of Health.
Free government to follow recommendation
The final decision on whether or not to reinstate suspended staff rests with the government, which generally follows the recommendations of the High Authority. The Ethics Advisory Council (CCNE) should soon issue an additional opinion on the same topic.
“I will follow the advice,” Health Minister François Braun said on BFMTV in December 2022, while specifying that he was not in favor of reinstatement.
The obligation to vaccinate caregivers has been in force since September 2021 and was decided on the recommendation of the HAS. The High Authority specifies, however, that the opinion issued this Thursday “does not in any way constitute a questioning of its previous opinions and recommendations issued in different health and epidemic contexts.”
4,000 health professionals were still suspended as of November 2022, according to figures presented by the Fédération hospitalière de France and cited by Release. Among them, “1,050 nurses out of the 300,000” who practice in France, François Braun specified on November 20. RTL.
End of recommended requirement for other vaccines
The opinion issued by the High Authority for Health also recommends that the so-called “DTP” vaccines, which refer to diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis, are no longer mandatory for health professionals and students in this field, except in Mayotte, where certain populations, in particular, children aged 6 to 16 show “significant delays in vaccination”, according to Public Health France.
The HAS had also dealt with the issue of the vaccination obligation currently in force for certain caregivers against hepatitis B and recommends its maintenance, as well as the addition of an obligation for liberal professionals “who may be exposed to the risk of contamination or expose your dependents.
More advice on other currently recommended vaccines, namely those against whooping cough, influenza, hepatitis A, measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, is expected in July.
Source: BFM TV
