The poorest region in mainland France has managed to dramatically speed up its Covid-19 vaccination campaign in recent weeks, notably by opening walk-in pop-up centres to reach out to people where they live and work, AP reports.

The multicultural, working-class region of Seine-Saint-Denis, north of Paris, initially struggled in getting the word out about vaccines to a population where many are immigrants who don’t speak French or lack access to regular medical care.

But offering vaccinations at a highly visible location with easy access seems to be doing the trick. After trailing below the national vaccination rate average for months, the region is now three points above it, with 71 per cent of its population having received at least a first dose.

Read more here.

A Red Cross volunteer handles the Covid-19 vaccinations in Le Bourget, north of Paris on Aug 13. — AP
A Red Cross volunteer handles the Covid-19 vaccinations in Le Bourget, north of Paris on Aug 13. — AP

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