France: Massive Protests Continue as French Gov’t Requires a Vaccine Passport (Proof of Vaccination, Negative PCR Test, or Recovery) to Enter Hospitals, Public Places, and Private Businesses.

French President Macron delivered an address to the French people on July 12, 2021, outlining a slew of COVID-19 restrictions. The speech included Macron stating:

• “Depending on the evolution of the situation we will undoubtedly have to ask ourselves the question of compulsory vaccination for all French people.”
• Finally, I want to address those who, vaccinated first, that is to say in January-February, will soon see their antibody level drop, their immunity decrease. I want to reassure them here. From the start of the school year, a recall campaign will be set up to allow you to benefit from a new injection according to the same system and under the same conditions as the first one (s). Appointments can be made from the first days of September. 
• Everywhere, we will have the same approach: recognize good citizenship and put restrictions on the unvaccinated rather than on everyone. 
• From July 21, the health pass will be extended to places of leisure and culture. Concretely, for all our compatriots over 12 years old, it will be necessary, to access a show, an amusement park, a concert or a festival to have been vaccinated or to present a recent negative test. This pass is available on the TOUSANTICOVID app. But anyone can use the paper version given at the time of vaccination.
• From the beginning of August – and this because we must first pass a law and promulgate it – from the beginning of August therefore, the health pass will apply in the cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, as well as in hospitals, retirement homes, medico-social establishments but also in planes, trains and coaches for long journeys. Here again, only the vaccinated and people tested negative will be able to access these places, whether they are also customers, users or employees. 

Macron’s full speech:

France will not pay health care workers who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

Media Outlets in the United States Respond to France’s COVID-19 Restrictions

French Protests 7-31-21

Western media has not provided lengthy coverage on the massive protests throughout France against Macron’s COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine passports. Protests erupted on Bastille Day (17-July-2021) and have continued, with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of French citizens taking to the streets to oppose vaccine passports and segregation based on vaccination status. While outlets are mentioning protests, they typically fail to mention how large they are, especially in comparison to protests in the United States last summer related to police violence and the murder of George Floyd.