Unvaccinated people will be excluded from all restaurants, sports arenas, and other public places, according to a law passed by France’s parliament on Sunday. The law is the centerpiece of the government’s efforts to protect hospitals amid a surge in infections caused by the highly contagious Omicron variant.
The law was passed by a vote of 215 to 58 in the National Assembly. President Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, had wanted to speed up the bill’s passage, but it was held up by opposition from members on both the right and left, as well as hundreds of proposed revisions.
Moreover, 91 percent of French individuals are completely vaccinated, prompting some critics to question if the “vaccine pass” will make a significant difference.
Macron’s government is hopeful that the new permit would be enough to keep the amount of people from overcrowding already overburdened hospitals across the country without requiring a new lockdown.
New confinement measures would be another setback for the economy, as well as a threat to Macron’s reelection aspirations in the April 10 presidential election.
Until now, a COVID-19 pass was required to enter restaurants, movie theaters, museums, and many other locations throughout France, but unvaccinated people were allowed in if they showed proof of recent recovery or a recent negative test.
The new law, which applies to everyone 16 and older, demands full vaccination for such places as tourist attractions, numerous railroads, and all domestic flights.
For patients who have just recovered from COVID-19, some allowances may be given. The bill also increases the penalties for fraudulent IDs and enables for ID checks to prevent fraud.
More than 76 percent of ICU beds in France are occupied by virus patients, the majority of whom are unprotected, and 200 people die from the virus every day.
France, like many other nations, is suffering from the Omicron variety, with more than 2,800 positive cases per 100,000 persons in the last week.
Source: euronews.com
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