Les résistances françaises aux vaccinations : continuité et ruptures à la lumière de la pandémie de Covid-19

Abstract

Depuis une dizaine d’années, des études internationales désignent régulièrement la France comme épicentre du vaccino-scepticisme. Les débats publics autour de la campagne vaccinale envisagée à l’échelle nationale pour contrer la pandémie de Covid-19 ont confirmé les rapports particuliers de la nation de Pasteur avec les vaccins, ou plus précisément avec la politique vaccinale. Cet article explore les racines de cette singularité française en décrivant ses fondements historiques, ses réseaux d’influence et ses causes systémiques pour apporter des clés de compréhension de ses variations géographiques.

The French Covid-19 vaccination policy did not solve vaccination inequities: a nationwide longitudinal study on 64.5 million individuals

“…Relative position of the district of residency along a North-West-South-East gradient is also associated with vaccination probability, the South-East being less vaccinated. This geographic feature, already documented for other kinds of vaccination (Guimier 2021), have been shown to be the consequence of multiple determinants with a common consequence: a local climate of mistrust for the central Parisian power. Politically, anti-system votes (from the right as well as from the left) are traditionally concentrated in the South-East of France.…”

“…This greater skepticism influences GP practices and attitudes, resulting in a lesser degree of compliance with vaccination schedules than GPs in the northern half of France (Collange et al 2015). Physical distance to the central government and institutions, based in Paris, coupled with a sense of belonging to a local community with a strong cultural identity, as is the case for example in the Marseille metropolis or in the Cévennes, play a role in indifference or mistrust towards institutions perceived as distant authorities (Guimier 2021). Finally, in and around the Marseille metropolis, the image of a rebellious territory was reinforced since the first months of the epidemic in France through the hypermediatized Pr Didier Raoult.…”

“…Modern vaccine hesitancy in France started with claims of a link between the hepatitis B vaccine and multiple sclerosis (J. K. Ward et al 2019); it strongly increased following the 2009-2010 vaccination campaign against pandemic flu, the contested management of which in France was a tipping point that led to higher vaccine hesitancy and hostility (Guimier 2021; J. K. Ward et al 2019).…”

“…2018). Modern vaccine hesitancy in France started with claims of a link between the hepatitis B vaccine and multiple sclerosis (J. K. Ward et al 2019); it strongly increased following the 2009-2010 vaccination campaign against pandemic flu, the contested management of which in France was a tipping point that led to higher vaccine hesitancy and hostility (Guimier 2021; J. K. Ward et al 2019). The trend was confirmed with the COVID-19 pandemic (Lindholt et al 2021;Spire, Bajos, and Silberzan 2021): just before Covid-19 vaccines became available, intentions to get vaccinated were comparatively very low in France compared to other countries (44% of the respondents in (Wouters et al 2021) in the Fall 2020; about 40% of respondent in (Santé Publique France 2021) in December 2020).…”

“…Spatial heterogeneties in vaccination rates have already been documented in France for previous vaccines. Vaccination coverage for the Hepatitis B vaccine and for the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine has been lower in the South of France, and especially in the South-East of the country (Guimier 2021). Distance to the central political power in Paris, as well as a sense of belonging to a local community with a strong cultural identity, have been put forward as potential explanations for this geographic gradient in vaccination rates (Guimier 2021).…”