The soap opera ends. Suspended from their duties for almost two years for refusing to be vaccinated, a few thousand caregivers will be able to resume their activity, for some tomorrow. “The obligation to vaccinate against covid-19 provided for by article 12 of the aforementioned law of August 5, 2021 is suspended”, indicates a decree from the Ministry of Health published in the Official Journal this Sunday, May 14. It thus authorizes the return of these caregivers to hospitals or care establishments.
Reintegrated by the end of June
The government had already issued a decree two weeks ago specifying the conditions for their return, in order to give hospitals time to prepare. Employers are required to offer their suspended caregivers reinstatement “as soon as possible and if possible within two weeks”, in the same position or an “equivalent” position. A number of health facilities have already re-contacted suspended caregivers to prepare for their return.
According to an Ifop poll published this week, “nearly four out of five French people (79%) say they are personally in favor of the reintegration into their jobs of non-vaccinated caregivers”. In 2021, the exclusion of these caregivers in the midst of a crisis from the hospital had provoked many debates, even if the number of people concerned is probably quite small.
Should the vaccination obligation be completely abolished?
The estimates range from a few thousand, according to the fragmentary indications obtained in particular from the Ministry of Health, to “from 20,000 to 40,000 people”, according to Elsa Ruillère, a leader of groups of caregivers refusing the vaccine elected CGT Health. According to the collective, around a fifth of the suspended caregivers have decided to leave their profession permanently.
In the Assembly, some deputies want to go further. The PCF group succeeded in having a law voted on on May 4 definitively repealing the obligation to vaccinate against covid. It concerned 2.7 million people in contact with the sick: caregivers, nurses, doctors, paramedics, home helpers, firefighters, administrative staff in healthcare establishments, etc. But the government is opposed to it, and wants to keep the possibility to suspend again the non-vaccinated in the event of an epidemic resumption. The communist bill should be examined soon in the Senate.