MeterWith 21,000 new infections in the past 24 hours, the “fourth wave of coronavirus” has reached France. Prime Minister Jean Castex said on the TV channel TF1 on Wednesday that 96% of infected people have not been vaccinated. “Vaccination, vaccination, vaccination must be the answer,” he said. The government hopes that French people will be vaccinated with the new health passport. Over the next two weeks, 5 million additional vaccination appointments will be allocated. Stricter corona rules for cultural and sports facilities came into effect on Wednesday. Once more than 50 people gather, whether in cinemas, theaters, museums or sports events, the health passport must be presented in digital or paper form. The certificate of complete vaccination, the certificate of simple vaccination of the survivors, or the certificate of negative corona test results are all bundled in the health passport.
Even holidaymakers must show it. From August 1st, the rule will also apply to cafes, restaurants and bars. Long-distance travel by plane, train and bus must also show a health passport. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, has caused a sensation when he announced that he wanted to exempt Parliament from the health passport requirements. According to the newspaper “L’Opinion”, Ferrand believes that the constitution allows parliament to rule on autonomy. Therefore, the health pass is invalid before the Constitutional Council because it restricts the freedom of parliamentarians.
No vaccinations, no wages
Florian Philip Porter, former deputy of Marina Le Pen, expressed his outrage: “Richard Ferrand rejected the health passport to enter the National Assembly. This is just for the mob.” 50 members of Congress proposed an amendment. The Health Passport was introduced to the Parliament to “lead by example.” Ferrand announced in a communiqué that his so-called refusal was a scam. If the health passport is approved by the parliament, the people’s representative will of course apply it “with respect to the freedom of the parliament.”
The National Assembly hopes to vote on the health passport bill on Wednesday night. Among other things, the draft stipulates mandatory vaccination for all employees of hospitals and other nursing facilities. If the regulations are not followed, employees can reduce their salaries.
The head of government emphasized that health passes should not be used to go to school. For children and adolescents aged 12 to 17, the deadline has been extended to the end of September. From October 1st, French people of this age must also show a health passport. Changes in the law were opposed by the extreme right and the extreme left. The left-wing presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melanchon criticized the establishment of a “surveillance society.” Marina Le Pen announced that she would vote against the bill in the National Assembly.
