France tightens border control, appeals for vaccination amid mounting anti-health pass anger

Paris (France), July 18: The French authorities on Saturday decided tougher restrictions on unvaccinated travelers from high-risk countries, and appealed to still-reluctant people to get vaccinated to counter an alarming surge in COVID-19 infections, while anger at the health pass rule is mounting.
From July 18, non-vaccinated arrivals from the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Greece need to present a COVID-19 test within the past 24 hours, Prime Minister Jean Castex's office said.
Currently, UK travelers must show a test taken less than 48 hours, while arrivals from the other listed countries should be tested negative 72 hours upon boarding.
Meanwhile, people who have completed their inoculation with a jab recognized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) -- Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson -- are no longer subject to travel restrictions to or from France.
Furthermore, Tunisia, Mozambique, Cuba and Indonesia are added to the red list, meaning that people need a compelling reason to travel, show negative test for COVID-19 before departure and self-isolate for 10 days.
"The Delta variant is here, we must not hide the truth, it is more contagious than the previous ones. We must adapt and face it," Castex said during a visit in France's southwestern region.
Due to the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19, the number of daily infections spiraled higher, with 10,908 people tested positive on Friday, the biggest one-day jump since May 28. The French government fears a fourth wave will hit the country by the end of July unless restrictions are imposed.
In Pyrenees-Orientales, southern France, where the incidence rate climbs to 250 per 100,000 inhabitants, mask returns in all public places, except in the beach and large natural spaces. Consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned outdoors, and restaurants and bars must close at 23:00 local time (2100 GMT).
The mandate comes into effect on Saturday morning and will be in place until Aug. 2, local authorities said.
Mask wearing is also reintroduced in outdoor public places and tourist zones in Grand Est, Var and Pas-de-Calais departments.
Facing a worrying pandemic situation, "there is only one solution, a priority solution: vaccination," said the prime minister.
"We must vaccinate. We must deploy the health pass. It is essential to protect ourselves, to carry out as many activities as possible, to avoid having to take strong braking measures," he said early Saturday.
Data from Health Ministry also showed that 44.2 percent of the country's 67 million inhabitants have completed their vaccination.
In a boost to vaccine rollout, medical staff and workers in contact with vulnerable people must be vaccinated by Sept. 15. They might face the risk of being unpaid if they refuse to be inoculated.
Starting from July 21, only vaccinated people or those who showed negative tests and recently recovered from the flu-like illness, will be allowed in amusement parks, to attend concerts and festivals.
Starting from August, initially required to attend large-scale events, the health pass will be required in bars, restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, hospitals, in addition to nursing homes, long-distance trains and planes, President Emmanuel Macron announced early this week.
In doing so, Macron ignited public anger. Thousands of unmasked people took to the streets in French cities on Saturday, the second such social action this week, shouting "No to the health dictatorship" and "No to the health pass."
"The assault against our freedoms has been launched," tweeted Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, head of right-wing "Debout la France" (France Arise) party.
"Because (President) Emmanuel Macron is unable to take the right measures, he creates a diversion and plays the scapegoat strategy against the unvaccinated. Now is the time for resistance," added Dupont-Aignan, who joined the Paris rally.
On July 14, some 19,000 protesters poured into the streets across French cities to oppose the new restrictions which they say hit freedom and discriminate against those who refuse to receive COVID-19 vaccine.
Source: Xinhua