Among France's poorest, once-lagging vaccine rates jump

The poorest region in mainland France has managed to dramatically speed up its COVID-19 vaccination campaign

LE BOURGET, France -- 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 centers to reach out to people where they live and work. 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 wth easy access seems to be doing the trick. Manuela Buval, 53, was waiting for her teenage son, who was getting his first vaccine shot Friday in a public park in Le Bourget.