With an incidence rate of 536 per 100,000 inhabitants, the Rhône is one of the departments most affected by this 5th wave. To limit the extent of this, the Gerland vaccination center is increasing the number of daily doses available and vaccinating 2,000 people per day.

This Saturday morning, Geneviève, a retired health executive, is one of the 14 liberal nurses mobilized at the Gerland vaccination center. They are 4 more than last week.

“Since today, we have gone from 1200 to 2000 vaccinations per day explains Geneviève. (…) What is important is to meet the demand. There is a strong increase in demand. We are committed to offering the same service that we offered this summer.“

Niches taken by storm

In this center, 170 people are vaccinated every hour, often for their booster dose.

“When we talk to people a bit, they tell us that they have plans, that they want to celebrate Christmas with their family and they are keen not to take risks for themselves, but also for their family.. “remarks Geneviève.

This is indeed the case with Mathilde, in her twenties. “I want to take advantage of my family, therefore to protect them and to protect myself.“

She is a place with her mother who has reserved a niche for her. “We threw ourselves on doctolib. It takes persistence, time and going there very often. I anticipated but it is true that there is no longer a slot available. ”

Next to them, a young man of 25 attends in his turn. He is here to be able to benefit. “I am taking my vaccine booster. It is important to be able to go to restaurants and bars he smiles. It is also to be able to travel. And then you have to get your vaccine to avoid being contaminatedé “

Strong demand in pharmacies

At the counter of a pharmacy in Villeurbanne, Natacha Picot, pharmacist, explains to a client how the health pass works. “It is valid for up to 7 months after your second dose. But you can do the 3rd dose as early as 5 months after the second. “

The calls for the explosive booster dose. “People do not understand: they have retained 5 months of validation of the health pass after the second dose. You have to explain it to them. It mobilizes us a lot of time. “Natacha remarks.

From Monday to Friday, this pharmacy vaccinates around thirty people per day. It is not the doses that are lacking, but rather time. On Saturdays, for example, the activity is too strong to be able to second staff to the vaccination.

In the Rhône, 11.3% of the population has already received their booster dose.