Toulouse: with the decline of the epidemic and vaccination, should the Ramier vaccinodrome be closed?
The vaccinodrome on the island of Ramier, in Toulouse, reopened at the beginning of December. It is experiencing a drop in attendance, but should remain open at least until the end of March.
The Toulouse vaccinodrome currently registers less than 1,000 vaccinations per day, compared to 4,000 at cruising speed, when it reopened on December 9. Should we, under these conditions, leave open a tool authorized for the community, in salaries and operating costs?
“For the moment, within the framework of the vaccination strategy defined by the Regional Health Agency, with whom we meet every week, there is no question of closing Hall 8 of the Exhibition Center. It should remain open at least until the end of March. We will take stock during the month, ”replies François Chollet, deputy mayor of Toulouse and coordinator of the fight against Covid in the Pink City, since the start of the pandemic.
No resumption of vaccination since February 15 and the expiry of the vaccine passes
Last week, less than 1,000 people a day came to be vaccinated. Who are they ? “Mostly people for booster doses. There are quite a few first-timers. But appointments are canceled too, because people catch the Covid, and that is worth 3rd dose ”.
Vaccinations did not experience a real jump after February 15, the expiry date of the vaccination pass for people who did not take their booster dose.
The epidemic is receding, the incidence rate divided by 4 in one month in Haute-Garonne
And the epidemic figures are down: last Tuesday, Haute-Garonne had 578 people hospitalized for Covid. A figure that continues to decline, since it was 627 on February 18.
The number of patients hospitalized in intensive care and critical care is also falling, since it fell from 100 to 89, between February 18 and 22.
While Haute-Garonne had the highest Covid incidence rate in France a month ago, on January 24 (4,745 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants), this rate was divided by four, to reach 1,045 cases per 100,000 population, on February 22.
1000 people hired, the million euros cost exceeded on January 20
So, do we close or leave open? last December, the town hall of Toulouse had to hire no less than 1,000 people to ensure vaccination in its various centres: vaccinodrome, but also the Barcelona room (currently 300 vaccinations per day) and the Mermoz room, open for a few weeks in January.
“What concerns us now is not the current period. It is a possible resumption of the epidemic in the fall, for example, specifies François Chollet. We are not immune. We therefore thought about a more “elastic” device, perhaps less massive but more agile”.
On January 20, the elected representative of the Capitol estimated that the vaccination bill had exceeded one million euros for the town hall. Without ever questioning the municipality’s commitment to the fight against the Covid. Currently, four vaccination centers are still open in the department.