Health

France sees Covid protests for 4th consecutive week

By Marta Garde

Paris, Aug 7 (EFE).- Opponents of the coronavirus health certificate in France and the measures adopted by the French government to contain the latest wave of infections took to the streets of the country for the fourth consecutive Saturday.

The latest protest came on the heels of Thursday’s endorsement by the Constitutional Council of health certificates becoming required to enter bars, restaurants or hospitals, or for long-distance domestic travel, starting Monday.

The document, which certifies whether the holder is fully vaccinated or has a recent negative test result, has been in force since July 21 and is mandatory for access to cultural centers.

“Although I will have no choice, I will boycott all businesses that ask for it. I am a creator, I go to fairs and markets and there will be certain activities that I will not be able to do. It’s going to be complicated financially, but I accept to take that risk,” Marie, a participant in a Parisian protest, told EFE.

The bill also requires healthcare workers to be fully vaccinated by October 15 at the latest.

Across France, 150 cities hosted demonstrations, with four in the capital Paris.

According to the French interior ministry, more than 204,000 people demonstrated in the country last Saturday, July 31, compared with 161,000 the previous week or 110,000 on the 17th.

“We are responsible citizens, absolutely committed to defending our fundamental rights and our freedoms. We are irreproachable, we are united and without political labels,” said the coordinator of one of the rallies in Paris, Sophie Tissier.

President Emmanuel Macron is on vacation in the official summer residence of Brégançon, in the south of the country, but this week he has been omnipresent on social media with daily videos where he answered people’s doubts. He also gave an interview in Paris Match in which he made it clear that he will not back down from making sure more people get vaccinated.

Related Articles

Back to top button