From today in France, people will need a “health pass” showing proof of vaccination, a negative test or recent recovery from Covid-19 to enter most museums, theatres and cinemas.
And later today, lawmakers will debate a possible extension to the use of the health pass so that it might be needed for access to cafes, restaurants and shopping malls.
The debate comes amid a spate of protests over the health pass. Some MPs supporting the pass have told police they have received death threats and there has been vandalism at some facilities housing vaccination centres.
However, polls suggest a majority of French people is in favour of the anti-Covid health passes.
Since the announcement that they were to be made mandatory in many places, more than three million new appointments for vaccinations have been made in France.
Venues face fines
Today’s proposed law has been watered down from earlier drafts. Fines on venues that fail to ask visitors to show their health passes are now set at 1500 euros for a first offence, instead of the 9000 euros originally suggested.
The idea of extending the need for a health pass to include shopping malls looks also likely to be dropped amid fears that it could restrict access for some to essential products such as food.
The health pass will now not be necessary until September for those aged between 12 and 18, after parents raised concerns that few in this age group would be fully vaccinated before then, since they were not eligible for a first jab until June.
The bill will include a ten-day isolation period for anyone testing positive to Covid, with police checks for compliance.
On Tuesday, Health Minister Olivier Véran announced 18,000 new infections in just 24 hours, a 150% increase compared to daily infections last week, as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads around the country.
