France rolls out Covid-19 jab pass
PARIS. – People wanting to go to cinemas, museums, sporting matches and other cultural venues in France will have to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative test starting Wednesday, as the country braces for a feared spike in cases from the highly transmissible Delta variant.
The so- called “health pass” will be required for all events or places with more than 50 people, before being extended to restaurants, cafes and shopping centres in August.
Once inside, however, people can take off their face masks, which remain necessary inside shops or businesses or on public transportation.
Masks are now mandatory outside again in the southern Pyrenees-Orientales department neighboring Spain.
They are also needed in much of the western Charente-Maritime department near Bordeaux, which is a popular tourist spot, where case numbers are soaring.
Outdoor mask mandates were also reimposed in Tuesday in Toulouse and other nearby towns.
The certification scheme forms part of various new measures announced by President Emmanuel Macron on July 12 to curtail the transmission of coronavirus, representing some of the toughest anti-Covidmeasures in effect in Europe.
The initial Covid-19 pass rules were implemented by decree. Legislators will get to vote on the planned extension of the scheme to cover other settings.
Macron’s strategy will also see vaccinations become mandatory for healthcare workers from September 15 onwards.
Health Minister Olivier Veran warned of an unprecedented increase in Covid-19 cases because of the Delta variant on Tuesday, when 18 000 cases were reported over 24 hours.
“That means we have an increase in the spread of the virus of around 150 percent in the last week: We’ve never seen that,” Veran told parliament as it began debate on the stricter rules aimed at encouraging vaccine holdouts.
In a televised address last week, Macron urged all of his compatriots to get vaccinated as soon as possible to fight the resurgence in infections, which is threatening the country’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
“The country is facing a strong resumption of the epidemic touching all our territory,” Macron said, speaking against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. –AFP.