Former DHS official warns of political violence that may worsen after the Capitol assault

Former Ministry of Homeland Security Intelligence analyst Daryl Johnson, who penned an internal report in 2009 warning that right-wing extremism was on the rise in the United States, warns that political violence has escalated following last week’s uprising against Congress, which was run by President Donald Trump took place, will aggravate bidding.

“That Capitol riot we had last week – some people were fine, that’s the climax of the story. No it is not. This ushers in a new phase of violence and hostility, “Johnson said in an interview with NBC News. “This is not the last chapter in a movement that is dying out.”

When asked about his reaction to the attack, Johnson said: “During the summer, spring, and fall we had two other capitol buildings in Michigan and Idaho that were overrun and breached by the same kind of people. It wasn’t impossible for these people to do something similar to stop the election. I thought it was going to be in another state capitol building, but it was the U.S. Capitol, after all. So it wasn’t a surprise. But it was shocking to see what was going on and how the crowd was stimulated and turned into this violent mob. “

Johnson noted that President Trump, who started the uprising that killed five people, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick,the one primarily responsible for fueling fears, spreading lies and disinformation, and promoting conspiracy theories. “

“So he definitely poured a lot of fuel into this fire. That fire was already raging when he got into the office and he just took it to a whole new level, ”he added.

He warned, however, that the attack on the Capitol was less the “climax” of a violent story and more the “usher” of a “new phase” of violence and hostility. “

Johnson recommended that the government fund organizations run by those who have themselves de-radicalized. “and can develop strategies on how to do public relations and get people out. “

Impeachment proceedings are currently ongoing. Representative Steny Hoyer (R-Md.) Told reporters this morning that the House intended to send impeachment articles to the Senate immediately and expedite the impeachment of the president. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), The outgoing Senate majority leader, has reportedly backed the impeachment process and accused Trump of losing control of the Senate after Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won the publicly known Georgia runoff had .

“For years we have been asked to turn a blind eye to crime, corruption and the obvious disregard for the rule of law by the tyrant president in the White House,” said representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). “We as a nation can no longer look the other way.”

MP Ilhan Omar: “For years we have been asked to ignore the crime, corruption and apparent disregard for the rule of law by the tyrant president we have in the White House. We as a nation can no longer look away.” pic.twitter.com/mzykgVHwxE

– Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 13, 2021

Alan is a New York based writer, editor, and news junkie.

Vacant retail house in New York Metropolis can turn out to be Covid take a look at areas

According to William Rudin, who runs his family’s multi-billion dollar real estate empire, New York City could turn empty retail space into coronavirus test locations.

In an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday, the CEO of Rudin Management Company said that increased transparency could help people feel more comfortable going out and speed up the city’s economy. Rudin said the New York Real Estate Board was working with the office of Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on the program.

The retail real estate market in New York, like much of the United States, has suffered from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic as public health restrictions designed to slow the spread of Covid-19 weighed on the economy. Business closings have increased as operators battled for rent.

The goal is to turn vacant retail space, “which I believe the city has some of it,” into quick test locations, said Rudin, whose New York City real estate portfolio includes 18 residential buildings and 16 commercial office buildings. “”[A] Person could show the restaurant owner … “I was tested 15 minutes ago and I’m good to go.” This is important for venues, “he added.

Rudin’s comments come as vaccines to protect against Covid-19 roll out across the country.

In New York in particular, Cuomo announced on Tuesday that the state would open vaccinations for anyone aged 65 and over and for younger people with weakened immune systems. Cuomo also outlined plans for a larger network of rapid Covid tests across New York during his speech on the state earlier this week.

The use of vaccines is a hopeful sign for the economy, Rudin said, and gives companies more insight into when employees can return to the office. At Rudin Management Company, employees are already tested every two weeks, he said.

Taken together, Rudin said that vaccine developments and better testing could speed New York City’s recovery. “I think hopefully you will return sooner than expected,” he said. There is a pent-up demand for people who want to go back to work and for people with their colleagues who work together. “

Vacant retail space in nearby New Jersey is also being repurposed to support the public health response. Democratic Governor Phil Murphy told CNBC in a separate interview on Wednesday that a former Sears store in Morris County, about 30 miles outside of New York City, is being used as a major vaccination site. Murphy said he was confident that vaccine use would accelerate after a slow start.

“We’re in a ‘if you build it, they’ll be in mode’ and it feels like the supply is finally running out and we’re going to get more cans,” Murphy later said. Squawk box. “

Ohio researchers establish two variants that seemingly originated in america

Healthcare workers conduct free Covid-19 tests for people in their cars in the parking lot of the Columbus West Family Health and Wellness Center in Columbus, Ohio on November 19, 2020.

Stephen Zenner | AFP | Getty Images

Researchers in Ohio said Wednesday that they discovered two new variants of the coronavirus that likely originated in the United States – one of which quickly became the dominant strain in Columbus, Ohio over a period of three weeks in late December and January.

Like the strain first detected in the UK, the US mutations appear to make Covid-19 more contagious, but they don’t appear to affect the vaccine’s effectiveness, the researchers said.

Ohio State University researchers have not yet released their full results, but they say an unverified study is in the pipeline. They said in a press release that the new variant has three gene mutations that “have not been seen together” in the coronavirus.

One of the new strains, found in just one patient in Ohio, contains a mutation identical to the now dominant variant in the UK. Researchers concluded that it “likely appeared in a strain of the virus that is already present in the US”. However, the “Columbus strain,” which the researchers said has become dominant in the city, includes “three other gene mutations not previously seen together in SARS-CoV2.”

“This new strain of Columbus shares the same genetic backbone as previous cases we’ve studied, but these three mutations represent a significant evolution,” said Dr. Dan Jones, Ohio state vice chairman of the molecular pathology division, in a statement. “We know that shift didn’t come from the UK or South African branches of the virus.”

The researchers identified the dominant strain in Columbus as COH.20G / 501Y and said that “the same mutation may appear independently in several parts of the world in recent months.”

Peter Mohler, chief scientist at Wexner Medical Center in Ohio, United States and co-author of the upcoming study, said there was no data to suggest the new strain would affect vaccine effectiveness.

“It is important that we do not overreact to this new variant until we receive additional data,” he said in a statement. “We need to understand the effects of mutations on the transmission of the virus, the prevalence of the strain in the population, and the effects on human health.

Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not immediately return CNBC’s request for comment. The Ohio researchers will hold a press conference about their discovery at 11 p.m. ET.

This is the latest news. You can find updates here.

How Hunter McGrady struggles to provide curvy women a spot in style

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Hunter McGrady is ready to see even more changes in the fashion industry.

Almost four years after first appearing in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue, the 27-year-old model was hoping curvy girls like her would have more options. Before speaking at The BodCon’s virtual conference this February, Hunter had to think about what she’s seen and experienced in the fashion world.

“I think a lot of people want to report that the industry has changed fast and we’ve seen immense growth, but the truth is it’s slow. It’s slow, but I think we’re getting there,” shared Hunter exclusively with with E! News. “I live in New York City and I still haven’t got the chance to shop at any of the SoHo or 5th Avenue stores because none of them are my size. I only have a few select stores that I can buy online.”

The body positivity advocate added, “I really am missing a huge part of your customer who is there and ready to spend the money. You just don’t have the product and for me the question is why? Why don’t we care these women who urgently only need beautiful fashion? Fashion has no size. Fashion has no age. Fashion is for everyone. “

Vacation 2020 Goal gross sales in the identical retailer enhance 17%, on-line gross sales double

Like-for-like sales rose 17.2% on Wednesday in November and December, according to Target, as customers bought matching pajamas and gingerbread house kits to celebrate a cozy vacation at home during the pandemic.

While online sales remained robust, shoppers also visited Target’s stores, spending more money per purchase than they did last Christmas. The combined transactions in the Target stores and on their website increased 4.3% and the average tickets increased 12.3% year over year.

In premarket trading, stocks rose 1.2% on the news.

Despite strong results during the peak shopping season, Target’s revenue growth slowed slightly compared to its earnings in the third fiscal quarter. The delay underscores the challenge that Target will face in the coming quarters. As more Americans are vaccinated, the company will need to demonstrate that it can hold market share gains even if consumers are more comfortable taking numerous trips to smaller stores or returning to malls.

The pandemic can also permanently change the cadence of the holiday shopping season. Target said its stores will close on Thanksgiving Day 2021.

The retailer had chosen to remain closed on last Thanksgiving due to the health crisis. To distribute sales and thin crowds, Target began selling weeks before Thanksgiving, which had previously been the starting line for finding gifts and gift items. It also put more of its offers online.

According to Target, comparable digital sales more than doubled in November and December compared to the same period last year, while comparable store sales increased 4.2%.

Target’s guidance includes sales in November and December only, though fiscal fourth doesn’t end until January 31st. The results for the entire quarter will be published on March 2nd on a virtual investor day. Prior to Wednesday’s news, analysts polled by Refinitiv estimated that after adjustments, Target would make $ 2.27 per share on revenue of $ 26.67 billion.

Target was one of the bright spots in a badly affected retail sector. The company saw staggering sales growth and $ 6 billion in market share gains as many other retailers were hit by temporary store closures and even filed for bankruptcy during the pandemic. With limited business travel, consumers have spent more money in a handful of places, and these have usually been large retailers where they can get a gallon of milk, detergent, and sweatpants at once or on their website.

As in the previous months of the pandemic, Target customers continued to use the company’s fast, contactless online options. The same-day roadside pick-up service Drive Up grew by more than 500%. The target sales achieved by Shipt increased by more than 300% during the holidays.

Few retailers have reported their Christmas sales to date, but Target has far outperformed the industry’s ecommerce growth. According to Adobe Analytics, online purchases in the US increased 32.2% over the 2020 vacation from 2019 as more shoppers shopped from home during the pandemic.

Target has also taken strategic moves that have paid off. It owns Shipt, a same day home delivery service. Fresh and frozen groceries have recently been added for roadside collection, a same day service that has grown by more than 500% over the holidays. And it has added a premium line of gourmet pasta sauces and coffees to its Good & Gather retail and beverage brand as people cook more at home.

Housewares and hardlines, which include equipment and sports equipment, were particularly popular during the holidays. In both categories, sales in the same store increased by 20% compared to the previous year. Within the hardlines, growth was driven by electronics sales.

The comparable sales of food and beverages rose by 17%, according to Target. Beauty and the essentials grew in the younger teens, and apparel saw high single-digit gains.

Target said family nightwear sets and Christmas tree decorations were among the best sellers. The retailer also sold nearly 2 million of its Wondershop gingerbread houses.

Target stocks with a market value of nearly $ 100 billion rose nearly 60% over the past year. The stock closed at $ 199.10 on Tuesday, not far from its 52-week high of $ 199.50 that it set on Monday.

“Bachelor” Matt James says it’s “irritating” that followers of the present assume its winner is white

So we have our first black “Bachelor” in the entire hit series franchise and fans already have an idea of ​​how his season will play out. We’re only two episodes in and fans are speculating that Bachelor Matt James, based on the few appearances he has made and an interview he had with host Chris Harrison after the premiere, that the woman he will choose to be his bride will be white.

Well, apparently Matt James is very aware of what people are saying about him and he’s not very happy. In a new interview with the podcast “Bachelor Happy Hour”, Matt replied to a question from “Bachelorette” Rachel Lindsay that it was “cautiously frustrating” that the race of the participants was even a topic of conversation.

“First of all, regardless of what they look like, people should want you to be happy with who you are with,” he said. “And if you knew anything about me, if you were close to me, you would know that the last women I dated were all black women.”

Matt then went ahead and broke up the racial makeup of the contestants that season, noting that there is a mix of white, black, and Asian women who he says have “dated across the board” in the past Has.

“If you’re with someone, when you shut out a race, I don’t even know where to start. What I’m looking for in a woman isn’t race specific, ”James continued. “What I’m looking for can annoy someone. What I’m looking for is not a race. I’m not only dating black women. I’m not only meeting white women. I’ve dated down the line and found redeeming traits in everyone, which is a blessing, and that’s why it’s so difficult for me this season. “

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By Warren Buffett, BYD’s Han Luxurious Sedan Endorsed Prime 10 Electrical Automobiles Bought in China

Customers watch a BYD Han electric vehicle in a mall on July 12, 2020 in Hangzhou, China.

Long Wei | Visual China Group | Getty Images

BEIJING – As China’s electric car market warms up, Tesla and BYD are among the winners, data for 2020 sales shows.

Less than six months after Chinese automaker BYD launched its luxury electric sedan “Han”, the car jumped to eighth place among the country’s best-selling new energy vehicles late Tuesday last year, according to the Chinese Passenger Car Association . The new energy category includes electric and plug-in hybrid power sources.

BYD, backed by American billionaire Warren Buffett, said sales of the Han sedan have increased every month since delivery began in August. The sedan is available in both a purely electric and a plug-in hybrid version.

The “Han” car was the fourth best-seller in the category for December, the association said.

Tesla’s Model 3 sedan took the top spot year-round, according to the report, selling more than 137,000 vehicles in 2020.

In December, the Tesla Model 3 took 10th place for passenger cars regardless of the energy source.

Mini-Auto sold better than Tesla in December

As Chinese consumers closed 2020 and looked ahead, they bought more than 35,000 Hongguang Minis. This made it the best-selling new energy vehicle in December and the second best of the year.

The vehicle is a tiny electric car with a starting price of 28,800 ($ 4,400) developed by General Motors’ joint venture with Wuling Motors and the state-owned SAIC Motor.

Two more miniature electric cars developed by local Chinese automakers made the top 10 list, highlighting the contrast between the strong demand for high-end and budget vehicles in the electric car category.

Xpeng’s P7 luxury sedan, which like BYD’s Han, started deliveries this summer, was the ninth best-selling new energy vehicle in December.

Electric does well among high-end SUVs

Li Auto’s first and only model to date, the Li One SUV, sold thousands more cars last year than Nio’s best-selling ES6 SUV.

The two start-ups even made it into the 10 best-selling high-end SUVs in China across all power sources. Li Auto finished eighth while Nio finished ninth.

The Li One is more of a hybrid in that the car contains a fuel tank that can be used to charge the battery when a charging station is not available, alleviating one of the main problems consumers face when buying an electric car.

According to the Passenger Car Group, total sales of passenger cars in the world’s largest automobile market fell by 6.8% to around 19.3 million units last year. New energy vehicles were able to resist the decline, rising 9.8% to 1.1 million, the report said.

Some in China’s auto industry have previously expressed doubts about the accuracy of the federation’s numbers by relying on self-reporting.

2020 new energy car ranking

Here is the full 2020 ranking with the parent company in brackets:

1. Model 3 (Tesla)

2. Hongguang Mini (SAIC-GM-Wuling)

3. Ora R1 (Great Wall Motor)

4.Aion S (GAC engine)

5. Qin EV Sedan (BYD)

6. eQ (Chery)

7. Li One (Li Auto)

8. Han EV (WORLD)

9.ES6 (nine)

10. 5 PHEV (BMW)

Liz Cheney, John Katko will vote for the indictment

Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, said Tuesday she would vote to indict President Donald Trump as at least four GOP lawmakers will accuse the president of her own party of high crimes and misdemeanors.

She is the senior Republican who called for the impeachment of the President Trump instigated with lies and incendiary rhetoric after the deadly uprising on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Rep. John Katko, RN.Y., previously said he would support the impeachment after the president stirred up a mob last week that attacked the Capitol while Congress was counting President-elect Joe Biden’s presidential victory. The representatives Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., Fred Upton, R-Mich. And Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., Later joined Cheney and Katko. Five people died in the riot, including a Capitol policeman.

In a statement, Cheney said Trump “called this mob, gathered the mob and lit the flame of this attack.”

Liz Cheney, Chair of the Republican Conference of the House, speaks at a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 8, 2019.

Aaron P. Bernstein | Reuters

“All that followed was what he did. Without the president, none of this would have happened,” said the chairman of the Republican conference.

“The president could have acted immediately and forcefully to stop the violence. He did not. A president of the United States has never betrayed his office and his oath on the constitution more strongly.”

Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday evening that he would not remove Trump from office by invoking the 25th amendment.

“I do not believe that such an approach is in the best interests of our nation or in line with our constitution,” Pence wrote of the 25th amendment in a letter to Pelosi.

Pence made no explicit mention of the impeachment surge. However, he urged Congress to “avoid measures that further divide and inflame the passions of the moment” as “we prepare to inaugurate President-elect Joe Biden as the next President of the United States”.

In the meantime, the House plans to vote on Wednesday whether Trump should be charged with high crimes and misdemeanors. Democrats have said they have enough votes to indict the president a second time.

In a statement Tuesday evening, House spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi named nine impeachment managers for the impending trial. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., Will serve as lead manager. He is accompanied by Rep. David Cicilline, DR. I., Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D -Calif., Stacey Plaskett, the Democratic Delegate for the US Virgin Islands, Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., And Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa.

Once the House indicts Trump, the Senate will decide if he will be convicted. The board may not have time to vote to remove him from office before Biden takes office a week from Wednesday.

Still, a Senate conviction would prevent Trump from becoming president again.

US President Donald Trump speaks after the swearing-in ceremony of James Mattis as Secretary of Defense on January 27, 2017 at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

Almond Ngan | AFP | Getty Images

House Republicans announced their stance when the New York Times reported that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Told staff he thought Trump had committed criminal acts. The newspaper didn’t say whether McConnell would vote for the president’s condemnation if the House sends impeachment proceedings to the Senate, or whether he would ask Republicans to vote the same way.

More Republicans could join Cheney, Katko and Kinzinger in support of the effort. No House Republicans voted in 2019 to indict Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

“Good for her to take her oath of office,” said House spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., In response to Cheney’s support for the impeachment. “Would more Republicans keep their oath of office?”

Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, breaks up with the minority leader of the House, Kevin McCarthy. The California Republican has spoken out against the charges against Trump. He and Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., Declined to count Biden’s certified election victories in Arizona and Pennsylvania following the attack on the Capitol.

Cheney is the daughter of former Vice President and Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney. He joined nine other living Pentagon leaders earlier this month in warning not to involve the military in any dispute over election results. The Washington Post came three days before the Capitol attack.

Trump previously said the Democrats’ urge to indict him was dangerous and could spark more violence. Some of his Republican allies have argued that the effort would hamper attempts to ease tensions in the country.

Impeachment supporters said Congress shouldn’t move on until they hold Trump responsible for his supporters’ attempts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.

The impeachment article, titled “Inciting Insurrection,” which Democratic leaders appear to support, accuses Trump of guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors by encouraging an attack on an equal branch of government. It is said that the president fueled the uprising by lying to his supporters about the election results for two months and then encouraging them to fight the result just before the Capitol invaded.

Days before Trump leaves office, the House went through the traditional process of getting the impeachment to a quick vote across the Chamber. In a Tuesday report in support of the impeachment, officials on the House Judiciary Committee wrote that Trump “has repeatedly attempted to dismiss the election results” and “pursued a parallel course of conduct that predictably led to the impending lawless acts of his supporters.”

The report went on to say, “President Trump has committed a grave crime and misdemeanor against the nation by instigating a riot in the Capitol to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The facts show that he is unable to stay in office. ” a single day longer and justify the immediate impeachment of President Trump. “

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Scammers declare to be promoting cans for Bitcoin on the darkish web

A man is given a dose of the vaccine for Moderna Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at a vaccination site on the South Bronx Educational Campus in Bronx New York on January 10, 2021.

I have Betancur | AFP | Getty Images

GUANGZHOU, China – According to cybersecurity firm Check Point, sellers on the so-called dark web have been advertising more and more Covid-19 vaccines, requesting Bitcoin for payment and failing to deliver the goods.

The dark web is practically a hidden part of the Internet that requires special software to access. It’s known for being a place to buy drugs, firearms, and other illegal goods.

As countries around the world struggle to introduce vaccination programs, opportunistic scammers online are trying to take advantage of these benefits.

Check Point’s search query for vaccines on the dark internet returned over 340 ads across 34 pages, compared to just 8 pages of results from a similar query conducted in early December, the company said in an updated research report released Tuesday.

Unfortunately, while most of us watch with hope, there are some who watch with greed and malice on their minds to capitalize on people’s concern about Covid-19 and protect themselves from the risk of catching it.

The average average price of $ 250 for an unspecified dose of vaccine has now doubled or quadrupled to $ 500 or even up to $ 1000, Check Point said.

Researchers at the cybersecurity company ordered a dose of vaccine from a provider they contacted via the encrypted messaging app Telegram. Researchers were offered a China-made vaccine for Bitcoin worth $ 750. After the researchers paid for and sent their shipping address, the seller’s account was deleted and the package has yet to be delivered.

All vaccine offers required Bitcoin for payment, Check Point said. Bitcoin used to be seen as an anonymous payment method, but has become much more traceable recently.

Check Point said the surge in vaccine advertising could be because people didn’t want to wait for one.

“We believe this is due to an increase in demand from people who don’t want to wait weeks or months to get their vaccination from their countries’ governments,” the company said in a blog post.

According to Check Point, several vendors said they ship vaccine doses in bulk rather than single shots. One vendor said it could sell an order of 10,000 vials for a total of $ 30,000, the researchers said.

A number of listings also appeared to contradict official medical guidelines on doses. A vendor contacted by Check Point offered to sell an unspecified Covid-19 vaccine for Bitcoin worth around $ 300, claiming 14 doses would be required. Some of the approved vaccines only require two doses.

“While most of us watch with hope, unfortunately there are some who watch with greed and malice on their minds to capitalize on people’s concern about Covid-19 and protect themselves from the risk of catching it,” said Check Point said in his blog post.

France’s vaccination skepticism is widespread, this is why

A nurse prepares the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on January 10, 2021 at a vaccination center in Sarcelles near Paris.

ALAIN JOCARD | AFP | Getty Images

France is considered one of the most vaccine-skeptical nations in the world. Public distrust of vaccination programs was confirmed in opinion polls before the coronavirus pandemic.

In France, cynicism about vaccination efforts appears to persist despite the introduction of Covid-19 vaccines in the US, UK and the European Union.

An Ipsos poll conducted in conjunction with the World Economic Forum between December 17th and 20th (and after the first Covid-19 vaccinations had been administered in the US and UK but not yet in the EU) found the lowest vaccination intentions in France.

The survey of 13,500 people in 15 countries found that only 40% of adults surveyed in France intended to receive the vaccine. The highest intent was found in China, where the coronavirus pandemic first emerged in December 2019. 80% of people agreed that they would get a vaccine if it was available. For comparison, 77% of respondents in the UK said they would have the shot and 69% of those in the US said they intended to receive the vaccine.

Slow start

France’s coronavirus vaccination program has got off to a sluggish start, and the country is looking to step up it under pressure of rising coronavirus infections and the threat of several new mutations making it more communicable.

According to the latest official data, France had only vaccinated nearly 190,000 people as of Tuesday, a few weeks after the start of its vaccination campaign, which began on December 27, along with the rest of the EU.

France’s goal is to vaccinate 1 million people by the end of January, with priority given to the elderly and healthcare workers. However, at the current rate, that goal won’t be met until February 24th. according to CovidTracker from France.

By comparison, the UK already vaccinated over 2.4 million people with the first dose of vaccine on Jan. 11 (the vaccines currently in use require two doses) and is vaccinating 200,000 people daily, its health minister said on Sunday. By mid-February, 13 million people in their priority groups should be vaccinated.

France’s slow start has been attributed to red tape and nuances in the country’s vaccination process (it is the only European country that requires written consent before vaccination can be granted) and there is pressure to speed up the process. French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly unhappy with the sluggishness of the rollout, and both the press and public health experts have resented it. An epidemiologist who France 24 called a “fiasco”.

What is behind the hesitation of the vaccine?

Widespread public suspicion of vaccines in France has been attributed to factors such as government concerns, previous public health scandals, and demographics such as age and gender.

Antoine Bristielle, Associate Professor of Social Sciences and Political Scientist at the PACTE laboratory at Sciences Po Grenoble, has written extensively on the subject.

After collecting and examining data on vaccine sentiment, Bristielle found that older people in France were more likely to trust vaccines than younger people, and women were more reluctant to vaccines than men and were more afraid of possible side effects.

He added that people who are left and right politically are also more likely to express anti-vaccine sentiment and distrust of the government.

“In addition to these sociopolitical characteristics, two other factors largely explain the (lower) acceptance of a vaccine against Covid-19 in the French population: trust in political institutions and trust in scientists,” said Bristielle in an article on the topic for the Think -Tank Foundation Jaun-Jaures.

Disinformation on social networks as well as coverage of conspiracy theories in mainstream media have also contributed to public distrust, he added.

In addition, previous health scandals such as a blood transfusion scandal in the 1990s and a troubled vaccine rollout a decade ago to combat the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic “permanently damaged the relationship between the French and vaccines,” said Bristielle.

Vaccination safety

There are also a few other factors affecting public confidence in coronavirus vaccines, including the speed at which they were made: less than a year. Regulators want to emphasize that the vaccines have passed all full clinical trials with no cut edges and have been shown to be safe and effective.

Analysis from late-stage clinical trials showed that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were both approximately 95% effective in preventing severe Covid-19 infection in study participants. The Oxford-AstraZeneca University vaccine has an average effectiveness rate of 70%. None of the vaccines caused serious side effects in the study participants.

It is currently unknown how long the vaccines will protect against the coronavirus or whether they will prevent the virus from spreading. Therefore, some public health actions, such as the wearing of masks, could continue.

A woman wearing a protective mask rides her bike next to the Eiffel Tower on April 23, 2020 in Paris, France.

Chesnot | Getty Images

French yoga teacher Amel Lamloum told CNBC that she did not see the benefits of a Covid vaccine. At 30 years of age and with no underlying health problems, she is not statistically classified as at risk from the virus.

“I don’t understand why I would take the vaccine if it was done in just ten months … and we don’t know the long-term effects,” Lamloum told CNBC on Tuesday. “They say that after taking the vaccine, we would still have to wear a mask in order to get the vaccine for free.”

Another problem for Lamloum is that the vaccine could become mandatory or that she could feel compelled to have it if there are restrictions on those who were not vaccinated. “It will be very difficult to move if there is a vaccination record,” said Lamloum.

How can confidence in vaccines be improved?

France, which has insisted that Covid vaccines are not compulsory, is now tasked with convincing the public to trust the vaccine.

The involvement of the public through members of society whom one normally trusts, such as B. Family doctors in the community is one way to put the public on the side of vaccinations.

“It is important that we communicate not only through politicians and senior officials in our ministries of health, but also through other partnerships with a wide variety of civil society organizations, businesses and community organizations,” said Flemming Konradsen, professor of international environmental health at the University of Copenhagen said CNBC.

“Not all people trust their prime minister or official, they have to get this message from friends or their boss at work … it has to be a very wide area of ​​communication,” he added.