Discussions began in parliament on Monday after a petition calling for the health sector to pay bonuses to staff whose work during the pandemic saved lives, exceeded the required threshold of 4,500 signatures.

Several supermarket chains, including Cactus, Auchan and Delhaize, announced exceptional staff bonuses as a reward for their efforts during the coronavirus crisis.

In a statement published on the chamber of deputies website on Monday, it wrote that “the issue of rewarding health care staff is not ruled out and will be discussed in a wider debate in the autumn in the chamber of deputies. A single premium is not currently being considered.”

Health minister Paulette Lenert (LSAP) and MPs from the health and petitions committees welcomed the initiative. However, there are issues concerning how such a bonus would be financed and who would qualify.

“The health sector is faced with many challenges: working conditions, infrastructure, a general enhancement of the care professions and training,” a summary explained. The autumn debate will be an opportunity to further debate these issues.

“The crisis is not over, it is not yet time to take stock”, Lenert said on Monday. “We will return to this point when we will be able to evaluate the efforts made,” she added.