- Title: Macron says COVID-19 epidemic is serious in overseas territories
- Date: 11th August 2021
- Summary: BREGANCON FORT, BORMES-LES-MIMOSAS, FRANCE (AUGUST 11, 2021) (REUTERS) MACRON SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, SAYING: "Our objective, what I want to target, is very simple: it's vaccination for all French people who are eligible." MACRON SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, SAYING: "The health crisis is not behind us, very clearly. And I've had the chance to call this to mind several times - we will live for several more months with this virus, we know it." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE BATHING IN SEA SAILBOATS AT SEA PEOPLE SUNBATHING AT BEACH
- Embargoed: 25th August 2021 11:33
- Keywords: France Guadeloupe Macron Martinique coronavirus overseas territories vaccination
- Location: NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE/ BREGANCON FORT, BORMES-LES-MIMOSAS / SAINT-PIERRE, MARTINIQUE / GOYAVE, GUADELOUPE
- City: NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE/ BREGANCON FORT, BORMES-LES-MIMOSAS / SAINT-PIERRE, MARTINIQUE / GOYAVE, GUADELOUPE
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA005EPU64W7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday (August 11) that France's overseas territories, in particular the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, were being hit hard by the COVID-19 epidemic.
"The situation is dramatic," Macron said as he opened a virtual meeting with his senior cabinet ministers to discuss the epidemic.
Macron said the vaccination rate in the West Indies is at 20%, compared to 63% in mainland France.
The French health ministry said 240 health workers flew to Martinique and Guadeloupe, to reinforce local staff as COVID-19 infections overwhelm hospitals on the two Caribbean islands.
Health Minister Olivier Veran, who has appealed for volunteer doctors and nurses, will travel to the territories at the end of this week, the ministry also said in a statement.
Martinique entered a tougher lockdown for three weeks from Tuesday (August 10) to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak, a local government official said.
Guadeloupe and France's island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean have also imposed curbs against the virus.
Macron said the government's nationwide objective was to vaccinate all eligible people in France. He said the campaign will be intensified when classes resume in September and vaccination spots will be opened in high schools.
(Production: Noemie Olive, Michaela Cabrera) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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