France makes COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for health workers to counter virus surge

PARIS, July 15  — French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said that COVID-19 vaccine shots would be mandatory for medical staff as part of new restrictions to contain the spread of the more infectious Delta variant.
Warning about a strong resurgence of the pandemic, Macron pointed to the necessity “to go towards vaccination of all French people” as “it is the only way towards a normal life.”
In a televised address, he announced that “vaccination will be compulsory for all those in contact with fragile people.” Healthcare workers and nursing home staff will need to get inoculated by Sept. 15 or risk sanctions.
In June, France administered an average of 167,524 COVID-19 vaccines per day, sharply down from the 450,000 doses administered per day in May, according to the Public Health Agency.
The vaccination rate remains alarmingly low among medical staff and care workers. Less than 60 percent of nursing home workers and less than 64 percent of hospital workers have been vaccinated.
As of July 11, some 35.79 million people, or 53.1 percent of France’s adult population, have received one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 27.38 million, or 40.6 percent, received both doses.
The French government aims to have 35 million people fully vaccinated by the end of August.
“We will surely have to ask ourselves whether vaccination should be compulsory for the entire population,” Macron said. “Get vaccinated is the only way to protect yourself and protect others. This is what our freedom depends on all of us.”
As part of the new measures, “we are going to extend the health pass as much as possible to encourage as many of you as possible to be vaccinated,” he said.
Starting from July 21, only vaccinated people, those who showed negative test, or recently recovered from the flu-like illness, will be allowed in amusement parks, to attend concerts and festivals.
In the future, the health pass will be required in bars, restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, hospitals, in addition to nursing homes, trains and planes from next month.
“If we don’t act now, case numbers and hospital numbers will rise,” the president said.
The COVID-19 Delta strain, believed to be around 60 percent more transmissible, now accounts for half of the new infections in France, up from 20 percent estimated on June 29, according to official data.
On Monday, France logged 1,260 new coronavirus cases, up by 58 percent from last week. To date, some 5.81 million French people have been tested positive for the virus, of whom 111,353 have died, data from health authorities showed. (Xinhua)