France enters the fourth wave of coronavirus, launches the health passport and toughens measures

The fourth wave of coronavirus in France it is already official, this Wednesday, the day of the entry into force of the controversial health passport, which is carried over the phone and it is compulsory to enter a museum, go to the cinema or go up to the Eiffel Tower, in addition to new restrictive measures in a climate of high tension that some qualify as a “health dictatorship”.

The authorities have imposed new restrictions in cinemas, theaters, museums and events with more than 50 people, where it is only accessible by presenting a negative covid test or vaccination certificates.

Restrictions on some sporting events and fairs also went into effect, according to the newspaper’s information. ‘Le Figaro’.

Since the beginning of August, these measures will spread long distance trains, bars, restaurants, shopping malls and hospitals.

President Emmanuel Macron convened on Wednesday a new defense council to deal with the advance of the Delta variant at a time when the country faces the fourth wave of infections, with a “high risk”. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said more than half of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Climb to the Eiffel Tower

The new passport needed in France is already needed to climb the Eiffel Tower, enter museums or cinemas, the first step in a new campaign against what the government calls “Stratospheric” increase in infections.

To obtain the pass, interested persons must demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated, test negative for the virus or test to have recently passed COVID-19. This requirement came into effect on Wednesday after a decree approved by the government. Now, the National Assembly has been analyzing since Wednesday to approve it by law, in a climate of high tension.

Macron promotes the law that obliges the use of this type of pass in restaurants and in many other areas of public life, and requires vaccination of all health professionals.

Events

This generated resistance in some areas, and anti-vaccine protesters plan to rally on Wednesday, arguing a “health dictatorship.”

Over the weekend, thousands of people took to the streets to protest against new government measures, while several vaccination centers were vandalized.

The daily number of contaminations in France has fallen drastically in spring, But in the past two weeks it has picked up and some areas are again imposing restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.

The government is concerned that this could result in higher hospital occupancy rate In the next weeks.

This Wednesday, they registered 18,181 new cases, whereas a week earlier, they were less than 7,000. This is a level that has not been reached since mid-May.

However, in cultural events and shows where the health certificate is required, it will no longer be essential to wear a chin strap. even if they take place in an enclosed space.

The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, announced on Tuesday the end of this obligation which comes up against recommendations of some of the scientists who advise the Executive and this is surprising at a time when the number of contaminations is exploding in France.

Source: EFE, Europa Press and Associated Press

ap