Sunday 16 January 2022
As incentives for corona vaccination
France approves restrictions on the unvaccinated
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A negative corona test will soon no longer be enough to visit restaurants or cultural institutions in France. A new law will soon ban unvaccinated people over the age of 16 from entering the country. Individual MPs have announced that they want to take action against the new law.
The French parliament has finally approved drastic access restrictions for the unvaccinated in the fight against the fifth corona wave. In the National Assembly that evening, 215 MPs voted in favor and 58 voted against. Seven MPs abstained. The law stipulates that unvaccinated people over the age of 16 should no longer have access to restaurants, cultural institutions and long-distance transport.
In view of the enormously high number of infections, the French government wants to provide further incentives for corona vaccination. The regulation is intended to convert the currently valid health pass, which provides proof of vaccination, recovery or a current negative corona test, into a vaccination pass. A negative test will soon no longer be enough to gain access to numerous places.
Heated debate delays launch
Originally, the regulation was supposed to take effect on January 15th. The project was delayed due to heated debates in the National Assembly and between the two chambers of parliament. It is still unclear when exactly the change will come into force. Individual MPs had announced that they wanted to appeal to the Constitutional Council about the text.
In the past few weeks, the number of infections in France has risen rapidly. Most recently, the registered number of infections within a week per 100,000 inhabitants nationwide was around 2829. To protest against the planned restrictions and the government’s corona policy, a total of around 54,000 people took to the streets in many French cities on Saturday. A photo of right-wing demonstrators who stretched their arms diagonally upwards caused a sensation – from the point of view of some observers for the Hitler salute. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin wrote that the judiciary had been informed at his request.
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