"The vaccination rate is still too low, even though the number of vaccinations per week has doubled from 2,000 to 5,000," explained Lenert during a press conference organised to take stock of the country's health situation.

And while the ministry was to send out its traditional retrospective communiqué for the week of 18 to 24 October a few hours later, Lenert had already announced that the vaccination rate for the country's population aged over 12 years had reached 74.9%. "This is slightly higher than the European average of 74.5%, and although there is no 'magic' rate, we have not yet reached the figures we are aiming for. The risk of being hospitalised is fifteen times higher in unvaccinated people," the minister insisted.

Boosters for those vaccinated with Johnson&Johnson

The recent announcements about the possible introduction of the CovidCheck scheme in companies may have encouraged people to get vaccinated, "and the advertising campaign we launched a few weeks ago may have had an impact too," says Lenert. The vouchers for a free PCR test given to people who have received a first vaccine dose have been extended until 10 November.

Regarding the situation in schools, Schmit confirmed that "the virus is circulating there, and we are continuing our vaccination campaigns in high schools.” For those who have received the first dose of the Johnson&Johnson vaccine, reminder letters will be sent.

No comment on Merck's anti-Covid pill

While the French health minister Olivier Véran announced at a Senate hearing on Tuesday 26 October that he had ordered 50,000 doses of the anti-Covid pill from the American laboratory Merck, his Luxembourg counterpart is remaining cautious on the subject for the time being and prefers not to comment.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.