Véran’s Response to the Violation of Medical Confidentiality at School

“There is no violation of medical confidentiality Monsieur Bourdin!” The diagnosis (unsurprisingly) of Olivier Véran fell on the set of RMC / BFM TV this Friday, October 22, after the opposition accused him during the debates on the bill “health vigilance” in the Assembly national, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, October 21, to open “an unthinkable breach” in “medical secrecy”.

Adopted with only 10 votes apart, this bill was indeed enriched by a government amendment authorizing the directors of secondary schools (middle and high schools) to access the vaccination status of students. This measure aims, as explained by the government, to “facilitate the organization of screening and vaccination campaigns and to organize teaching conditions to prevent the risk of spreading the virus”. This would ultimately allow class closures.

“We don’t tell you if you are sick”

School principals who already ask students if they are vaccinated are receiving a parental honor certificate for the time being. With this amendment, they could now apply directly to Health Insurance for the vaccination status of students. And this, “without having access to the information system”, specifies the Minister of Health and Solidarity, led by Jean-Jacques Bourdin to ensure that this measure does not violate any medical confidentiality.

“This is not the end of medical confidentiality since in these cases medical secrecy does not exist for the tetanus vaccine, etc. [and the 11 other compulsory vaccines required at school, editor’s note] “, replied the minister. “Okay, but regarding the Covid, it’s the end of medical confidentiality,” insisted the journalist, as you can see in the video at the top of the article.

“No, Jean-Jacques Bourdin”, repeated Olivier Véran without hiding his weariness. “This is not the end of medical confidentiality regarding Covid. You are not told if you are sick, if you have severe forms, if you have co-morbidities, if you are taking treatment, if you have seen the doctor or if you have not seen him. You are told that a vaccination that is needed today, has it been given or not. This makes it possible to avoid closing classes, ”explained Olivier Véran. “We are pragmatic!” He concluded in an attempt to close the debate.

See also on The HuffPost: The vaccination status of pupils accessible to principals, “a serious measure” for the opposition