Among France’s poorest, once-lagging vaccine rates jump

By CONSTANTIN GOUVY
Associated Press

LE BOURGET, France (AP) — The poorest region in mainland France has managed to dramatically speed up its COVID-19 vaccination campaign. That’s notably thanks to walk-in pop-up centers aimed at reaching people where they live and work. The multicultural, working-class region of Seine-Saint-Denis, north of Paris, initially struggled in getting the word out about vaccines. Many residents are immigrants who don’t speak French or lack access to regular medical care. Over a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line. The region had France’s highest rise in mortality when the virus first hit but now its vaccination rates are above the national average. One mother said a pop-up center in a park made getting a vaccine shot easy. She says “everyone goes to the park.”