Angry protesters took to the streets across France in rejection of the new coronavirus health pass measure.
French authorities had earlier declared intention to relieve Covid-19 restrictions by August 9, 2021, in France.
Health pass measures will mainly target those vaccinated or who have tested negative for Covid-19.
Targeted segment will have access to public venues, including long-distance transport, restaurants and cafés – even France’s famed outdoor terraces.
The protests which continued for the fourth weekend in a row, came just two days before the new rules come into force.
Govt Defends Health Pass Measure
Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said the pass, which is under current rules will
require until November 15, was needed to avoid further restrictions as the country fights a
fourth wave of the pandemic.
Macron, at his official holiday residence in the south of France, has in recent
days repeatedly taken to the social media platform TikTok, popular among young people, to get his message across.
“Get vaccinated. Get vaccinated. Get vaccinated,” Macron said in the latest video on Friday.
“It’s a question of being a good citizen … our freedom is worth nothing if we infect our
friends, neighbours or grandparents. To be free is to be responsible.”
Sussex Uni. Vaccinated Students To Be Rewarded
Sussex University has offered vaccinated students a chance of winning £5,000 in a bid to drive uptake.
Students, who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, will enter into the prize draw. If their name is picked out and they can prove they’ve been jabbed, they win the cash prize.
Ten winners will be selected to receive £5,000 each to prove they are fully vaccinated or exempt.
Professor Adam Tickell, the vice-chancellor at Sussex, said the prize raffle was worth it if
the numbers being vaccinated could be boosted even slightly.
He added the financial cost to the university of the scheme was small compared to the
human and social cost of potential disruption to students.
“We know transmission rates are lower with vaccination, and the risk of serious illness for
our staff and students is much lower in people who’ve been vaccinated.”
