FRENCH RUSH TO ‘SAVE SUMMER VACATION’

Emmanuel Macron

More than 1 million people in France made vaccine appointments in less than a day after the country’s president cranked up pressure on everyone to get vaccinated to save summer vacation and the French economy. Some bristled at President Emmanuel Macron’s admonitions to “get vaccinated!” immediately, but many people signed up anyway for a jab, accepting the idea that it’s the only way to return to some semblance of pre-pandemic life.

With infections rising around France, Macron also mandated special COVID passes to go to restaurants, shopping malls, or get on trains or planes, which raised questions and worries among visiting tourists as well French vacationers.

An app that centralizes France’s vaccine and other medical appointments, Doctolib, announced Tuesday that 1.3 million people signed up for injections after Macron gave a televised address Monday night urging more vaccination. 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.

Macron announced Monday that vaccination would be obligatory for all health care workers by Sept. 15 and held out the possibility of extending the requirement to others. Around 41% of the French population has been fully vaccinated, though the pace of vaccination waned as summer vacations approached.

Some said the government’s vaccine push makes them feel safer, but others expressed frustration at the idea of mandatory vaccines or mandatory passes to go to a café – and yet more rules from Macron’s government.

“I’m getting vaccinated because I want to have a social life and go on holidays,” said law student Marius Chavenon, 22. But he added, “I don’t think vaccination should be compulsory. We live in is France, we should be able to do what we want.”

To get the COVID pass that will soon be required in all restaurants, people must have proof of vaccination or recent virus infection, or a negative test from the last 48 hours.

Some people said they’re now getting vaccinated because Macron also announced that France will start charging money for some virus tests, which up to now have all been free for anyone on French territory.

Paris restaurant owners expressed worry about the challenge of enforcing the new requirements and that the rules could scare customers away again, after restaurants stayed shuttered for nine months from the pandemic’s onset.

Health Minister Olivier Veran defended the new restaurant rules, saying, “The question is: It’s lockdown, or the health pass.”