Being vaccinated against Covid-19 strongly depends on the socio-economic situation. The most disadvantaged, the least qualified as well as immigrants from outside Europe are the least vaccinated, according to a survey by Drees and Inserm, carried out from June 24 to August 9, 2021, and published Thursday February 24. According to this survey, which covered 85,032 adults from June 24 to August 9, social criteria are decisive: “Being vaccinated strongly depends on the social position of the respondents (level of education, standard of living or profession).”
In July 2021, in metropolitan France, 72.2% of adults questioned in the context of this survey declared that they had been vaccinated (at least one dose), details the statistical service of the social ministries in this study drawn up by Inserm. The unvaccinated split into about three-thirds, with 9.8% intending to get vaccinated and as many (9.8%) saying “not knowing” if they were going to. Finally, 8% of people did not want to be vaccinated, add the authors of this third part of the Epidemiology and living conditions survey (EpiCov).
It is the standard of living that appears to be the most discriminating: 55% of adults whose standard of living is below the first decile (the 10% of people with the lowest standard of living) were vaccinated, compared to 88% of adults whose the standard of living is higher than the last decile (the wealthiest 10%), notes the study. The authors note that these social disparities “join those observed during previous vaccination campaigns”.
The differences are also marked according to socio-professional category, with 65% of workers or former workers vaccinated, against 83% of managers or former managers. We still note almost 10 points of difference according to the level of education, with 70% of people without a diploma vaccinated but 79% among holders of a diploma greater than or equal to a bac+5. Finally, immigrants from a country outside Europe and their descendants are less vaccinated than the adult population as a whole, respectively 59% and 53%. These inequalities in the use of vaccination are present regardless of age or state of health, notes the DREES.
Even if some populations (the oldest and the least educated) say they needed a third person to make an appointment, the study does not allow us to “determine whether unvaccinated people would have encountered particular difficulties in accessing vaccination (finding a free slot near their home, being able to free themselves to go get vaccinated or even knowing how to make an appointment on the internet or by telephone) “warn the authors.