Olympics-French athletes eligible for early vaccinations - ministry

French Olympic athletes have been given the green light to receive coronavirus vaccinations six weeks before slots are allocated to members of the public aged under 50 in France, the sports ministry said on Tuesday. "The athletes and coaches who will represent France in Tokyo this summer will have the opportunity to be vaccinated," the ministry said in a statement to Reuters.

"This restricted population of up to 1,400 people, made up of athletes and managers, has been identified by the Ministry of Sports in conjunction with the Olympic and Paralympic Committees and the National Sports Agency." The ministry added that the vaccinations, for those who are willing to have them, would start this week and end by the end of May.

In France, people aged 18-49 will be eligible for vaccinations from around mid-June, the government said. The pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics are set to start on July 23.