Disneyland Paris to be converted into mass Covid-19 vaccination site

PARIS: Disneyland Paris, which is one of Europe's most favoured tourist destinations, will be converted into a mass Covid-19 vaccination site at its convention centre from Saturday.

The announcement was made as France is trying hard to expedite its mass vaccination drive. Disneyland Paris will become a mass Covid-19 vaccination site starting Saturday in partnership with local authorities, the theme park said.

It may be noted that the major amusement park, located in the east of the capital, has been closed since October 30, when non-essential businesses were ordered to close amid a surge in infections, putting its 17,000 employees out of work.

It had originally planned to re-admit visitors on April 2, but worsening conditions forced it to postpone. The vaccination site will be housed outside the amusement park proper at its Newport Bay Club, a convention centre near its hotel complex.

It will be run by local authorities and the regional ARS health service and will be open on weekends only, whereas other French vaccination sites often close on Sunday.

The aim is to give anti- COVID-19 shots to at least 1,000 people a day, as France aims to get at least one jab to 20 million people by mid-May.

As of Tuesday, France had administered at least one dose to nearly 12.8 million people, or 19 percent of its population, according to Health Ministry data.

The global Disney group has announced 32,000 job cuts at its theme park activities worldwide by the end of the first quarter, mostly in the United States, because of the impact of the coronavirus.

But the Disneyland Park in California is set to reopen on April 30 after more than a year of closure.