Emmanuel Macron called for an accelerated Covid-19 booster vaccination for the elderly and vulnerable groups in France, and announced that many citizens will need a third vaccination to get effective health from next month Pass.
The French president said in a televised speech that “the pandemic is not over yet” and warned that there will be a fifth wave of infections in France. Europe, The reason is the significant increase in cases in the United Kingdom and Germany. He said that France’s new crown virus infection rate has also risen recently.
Macron said in his speech at the Elysée Palace that this is his ninth televised speech to the whole country since the beginning of the pandemic. He said that schools will keep wearing masks, social distancing in closed public places and wearing masks must continue. conduct. He said that vaccination will be stepped up, adding: “For those who have not been vaccinated: get vaccinated. Get vaccinated to protect yourself. Only vaccinated can live a normal life.”
Although 75% of French people received two doses of the vaccine, eligible people did not quickly take the third booster shot six months after the first vaccination. Currently, the third dose is for people over 65 years of age or those who suffer from heart disease or respiratory diseases. But only about half of eligible people booked the third injection.
In order to speed up this process, Macron said that starting from early December, the intensified injection will be expanded to people 50 years and older. From December 15th, people over 65 must provide proof of Covid booster shots to maintain their health pass.
Health Pass—— Need to enter restaurants and bars, go to gyms, conferences or libraries, and long-distance train and plane travel – Provide evidence that someone has been vaccinated against Covid-19, recently tested negative for the coronavirus, or has just recovered from the virus. Its use may remain unchanged in the coming months. Macron said it will strengthen the control of health passes.
“Thanks to vaccinations, health passes and social distancing measures, we can continue our lives instead of stopping our activities,” he said.
Macron warned: “We will have to endure mutations before the global population is immunized.”
The new regulations for 65 and older will further tighten one of the strictest systems in Europe.There are protests France These measures were first introduced in the summer, but gradually reduced.
Before the president’s speech, people over 65 were eager to book a booster injection this week, fearing that if they did not receive the third injection, they might lose their health pass.
The centrist Macron, who is expected to run for re-election next spring, once again used TV speeches about Covid to try to transform his image from a health crisis manager to the reformist he promised to be before the pandemic.
He touted the country’s economic growth and job creation growth, and said that France “for the first time in decades” will launch a plan to build a new nuclear reactor to help reduce its dependence on foreign energy.
But he said that he proposed to reform the complex pension system-a key part of his 2017 election platform, but stagnated at the beginning of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown-it cannot be launched this year.
He pushed it to a second term of possible re-election. He said: “From 2022, we need to make a clear decision on the reform of the pension system.”
