France logs more than 20,000 Covid infections in a day

People in central Paris march against the government's Covid-19 health passes. AFP - GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT

France recorded 21,539 new Covid-19 cases Wednesday – a figure that Health Minister Olivier Véran said showed the "gravity" of the health crisis. The news comes as parliament resumed debate on a controversial bill that would require "health passes" to access public spaces, and would force healthcare workers to get vaccinated.

France is already experiencing a fourth wave of the pandemic following a surge in Covid cases linked to the more contagious Delta variant.

Véran said prediction models showed infection numbers would peak at the end of the summer, potentially overloading hospitals.

Cases have soared by 140 percent this week, as the healthcare bill continues its accelerated path through parliament.

Reports say it should be approved by the end of the week, despite being met with opposition from leftwing lawmakers.

Objectif : 50 millions de Français vaccinés à la fin du mois d'août.
➜ https://t.co/sGpUtk5csy

— Jean Castex (@JeanCASTEX) July 21, 2021

Key elements of the legislation are the requirement of health passes to access public places, mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers and a 10-day legally imposed quarantine period for anyone who tests positive for Covid.

• France: Vaccination alone won’t be enough to break the fourth Covid wave, researcher says

The passes are a government-issued QR code showing a person has been vaccinated, has tested negative, or has immunity.

Passes are already required to access cinemas, theatres, museums and gyms. By the start of August they will be needed to enter restaurants and bars, and to board high-speed train and planes.

High school students will not need health pass to go to schools in September.

Vaccination push

The government is banking on vaccination to curb the pandemic, and says it hopes to administer 50 million first vaccine doses by the end of August.

• France registers 18,000 new Covid-19 cases, a record increase

French Prime Minister Jean Castex said that 96 percent of the 18,000 new cases that were reported Tuesday came from unvaccinated people.

Almost five million French people have made an appointment to receive a first vaccine dose in the nine days since President Emmanuel Macron's speech annoucning the new measures.

(With wires)