France starts supply bridge to help Tunisia cope with virus

France has established a “maritime bridge” to provide COVID-19 vaccines and medical oxygen to Tunisia

PARIS -- France has established a “maritime bridge” to provide COVID-19 vaccines and medical oxygen to Tunisia, which is in the midst of one of Africa’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. In the past five days, France has flown 1.1 million vaccine doses to the North African country, French Tourism Minister Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne told France-Info radio. The French navy shipped three huge containers of badly needed oxygen on Thursday, the minister tweeted. Of the vaccines, 800,000 doses came from French stocks, but Paris is also using the COVAX mechanism, the U.N.-backed program to provide shots to poorer countries, Lemoyne said. He did not specify which type of vaccines were sent. The sea shipments are expected to continue until mid-August, bringing in equipment, masks and other needed material to help Tunisia cope with a sharp rise in infections and hospitalizations.