From August, anyone entering French restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, hospitals or taking long-distance trains must present a special Covid Health Pass. Emmanuel Macron It has been announced that as France tightens restrictions to curb the surge of Delta variants.
The same Covid Health Pass-which indicates that a person has been vaccinated or the most recent Covid test has been negative-also requires anyone over 12 to enter cinemas, theaters, museums, theme parks or cultural centers from early on, said the president as of July On the 21st, this was to put pressure on more French people to be vaccinated.
The president said to the country: “You have already understood-vaccination does not require everyone to get vaccinated immediately, but we will expand the health pass to the maximum to push the most people to get vaccinated.”
Macron also announced mandatory Covid-19 vaccination for workers in healthcare and nursing homes. Vaccine inspections for these workers will begin in September and may be sanctioned or fined for violations. Compulsory vaccines are also applicable to all volunteers or staff who come into contact with the elderly or vulnerable groups at home, including family assistance.
“Our country is facing a surge of epidemics on our territory and on the mainland France And overseas,” Macron said at the beginning of his televised speech. He said: “The situation has been brought under control, but if we do not take action now, the number of cases will increase significantly and lead to an increase in the number of hospitalizations. “
France has vaccinated 40% of its population, and the vaccine is available to anyone 12 years and older. Macron said that it is possible to get vaccinated and urged the French people to fulfill their “citizen” obligation, which is to vaccinate-which will be recognized by more freedom-and the government will “restrict people who have not been vaccinated instead of everyone.” He says.
After Macron’s speech, the French medical appointment website Doctolib reported that a large number of people were seeking appointments for vaccinations.
Starting in the fall, the Covid-19 test, which has been free so far, will require payment unless prescribed by a doctor. “This is to encourage vaccination, not multiple tests,” Macron said.
Macron’s statement represents a change in the government’s direction after phasing out restrictions a few months later.
The French government and health consultants are concerned about the spread of Delta variants. Health Minister Olivier Veran called the Delta variant the “new enemy” because it is more contagious than the previous strain. According to the latest official data, the number of new cases in France has jumped to about 4,200 per day, although the number of deaths in hospitals (4 in the past 24 hours) is low. Approximately 7,000 people in France were hospitalized due to COVID-19.
Compared with the UK, these measures also highlight the different strategies followed by most European countries. The UK government announced on Monday “Freedom Day” will be promoted next week Through the cancellation of most epidemic containment measures in England.
Italy has stipulated that health workers and pharmacists must be vaccinated against the coronavirus. In Denmark, restaurants and public events require digital passes to indicate that the holder has been fully vaccinated or has recently tested negative. Some German states have the same requirements for restaurants.
Centrist Macron, who is expected to run for re-election next spring, also used televised speeches to try to transform his image from a health crisis manager to the reformist he promised to be before Covid. He said he intends to continue his reform plan for the French welfare state and vowed that his proposed reform of the unemployment benefit system — which has angered the unions — will be implemented in October. “People must always make more money than staying at home, which is not always the case at the moment,” he said.
Macron also said that his reform proposal for the complex pension system is still under discussion. The system has stagnated at the beginning of the new crown epidemic in 2020 and can be implemented “when health permits.”
