New requirements for COVID-19 vaccine passes have sparked protests in France, but they've also had their desired effect as well over a million immediately signed up to get vaccinated after the announcement was made.
Some 160,000 people, including far-right activists and members of France's yellow vest movement, protested Saturday across the country against a bill requiring everyone to have a special virus pass to enter restaurants and mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for all health care workers.
Similar protests were held in neighboring Italy.
Police fired water cannons and tear gas on rowdy protesters in Paris, although most gatherings were orderly.
As one of the guests on CNN this morning discussed, 160,000 is minuscule when you consider the entire population of over 67 million, and Macron got what he wanted, which is more vaccinations:
More than 1 million people in France made vaccine appointments in less than a day, according to figures released Tuesday, after the president cranked up pressure on everyone to get vaccinated to save the summer vacation season and the French economy.
Some bristled at President Emmanuel Macron’s admonition to “get vaccinated!” immediately, but many people signed up for shots, accepting that getting injected was the only way to return to some semblance of pre-pandemic life.
French government spokesman Gabriel Attal, noting the latest virus surges from South Africa to South Korea, and vaccine shortages in many poorer countries, appealed to his compatriots Tuesday to “look at what’s happening in the world.”
Macron also announced that special COVID-19 passes will be required starting in early August to enter restaurants and shopping malls and to get on trains and planes. The announcement raised questions and worries among foreign tourists and as residents of France planning vacations.
An app that centralizes France’s vaccine appointments, Doctolib, said Tuesday that 1.3 million people signed up for injections after Macron gave a televised address Monday night. It was a daily record since France rolled out coronavirus vaccines in December. People under age 35 made up most of the new appointments, Doctolib said.
So called "vaccine passports" have been demonized by the right, even though it's obvious that they work. Just ask the executives over at Fox "news." As we've already discussed here, we may see something similar from private industry in the United States. Whether anyone in the government steps up anytime soon remains to be seen, but I'm not holding my breath given the death cult on the right that we're dealing with here in the United States.
