France on track to have 20mln people vaccinated with at least 1 dose – KBC

France is likely to reach its goal to have 20 million people receive at least 1 dose of vaccine by May 15, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said Saturday.

“I am reasonably optimistic that we will achieve tonight the general goal, which we set ourselves, that is, 20 million of first-time vaccinated by May 15,” Castex said in a video streamed by the French government on YouTube.

The next objective is to have 30 million people vaccinated with at least one dose by mid-June, Castex continued.

Another goal is to left no vaccine dose unused, the prime minister said, adding that this was already being implemented and would have to continue the same way. Furthermore, at-risk groups — older people and people with certain medical conditions that might make them more likely to experience the severe form of the coronavirus — should be the priority for vaccination, Castex said.

Since mid-April, the incidence of coronavirus cases has been declining — from 117,000 daily increase in new infections reported on April 11 to 7,043 cases reported on May 14.