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French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that an anti-coronavirus measure would be tightened as virus cases continued to rise in France and the rest of Europe.
In a televised address, Macron described the trends as worrying and urged people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus as soon as possible.
People over 65 years of age, he said, should now have a booster vaccination to continue to be eligible for a vaccine “passport†required to access restaurants, museums, long-distance trains and other public places. The new rule will take effect on December 15th.
In addition, Macron said, people aged 50 to 64 will be entitled to a booster vaccination from December. He did not link the passport to the booster vaccination for this age group.
France already has a fairly high vaccination rate, with 69 percent of the population fully vaccinated. Even so, reports of new Covid-19 cases have increased in recent weeks, as have hospital admissions, which Mr Macron described as an alarm signal.
“Get vaccinated so you can lead a normal life,” Macron pleaded with those who still hadn’t received a single vaccination. “To be free in a nation like France means taking responsibility and showing solidarity. That’s why I’m counting on you. “
Hospitals report on average 40 Covid-related deaths a day. That’s up 60 percent in a week, though it’s only a tenth the number a year ago when vaccines weren’t available.
France is the youngest European country where the virus has reappeared. Germany set a record this month for new cases reported in one day, and the UK is in the midst of a surge three months after all restrictions were lifted.
The World Health Organization warned last week that Europe was back at the epicenter of the pandemic and that half a million people on the continent could die from Covid in the next few months.
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