French President Emmanuel Macron announced during a Monday press conference that all healthcare workers in the country have until Sept. 15 to get a COVID vaccine.
Macron also revealed digital COVID passes will be used to prevent unvaccinated individuals from going to restaurants, shops and other public places.
Discussing the Delta variant of COVID-19, which is less deadly than the original virus, Macron warned, “The country is facing a strong resumption of the epidemic touching all our territory… If we don’t act now, case numbers and hospital numbers will rise.”
The president explained that health workers who don’t get the vaccine by the deadline will be subject to fines or sanctions.
Speaking with the world-famous Eiffel Tower behind him, Macron admitted he will “probably have to think about the mandatory vaccination of all French citizens at some point.”
JUST IN – French President Macron announces mandatory #COVID19 vaccinations for all healthcare workers beginning July 21, and adds “we will probably have to think about the mandatory vaccination of all French citizens at some point.”
— Disclose.tv 🚨 (@disclosetv)
Less than a year ago, the French leader promised the vaccination would not be mandated, writing on Twitter, “I have said it, I will say it again: The vaccine will not be compulsory.”
Je l’ai dit, je le répète : le vaccin ne sera pas obligatoire. Ayons confiance en nos chercheurs et médecins. Nous sommes le pays des Lumières et de Pasteur, la raison et la science doivent nous guider.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron)
Specifying what activities will require a COVID vaccine, negative test or proof of antibodies, Macron said, “A health pass will be extended to those places of culture and leisure activities.”
“For anyone over the age of 12 to attend a concert, festival, theme park… you will have to show your health pass, your vaccination certificate, or a negative test result,” he declared.
“As of August, after the legislative process has been applied, the health pass will be obligatory in cafes, restaurants, malls, hospitals, socio-medical centers,” Macron continued. “And anyone who wishes to travel by train, plane or other long-distance travel in buses, be you a customer, a user or an employee working at any of these situations, you will have to have a health pass.”
🔴🇫🇷As of July 21, a #health #pass will extended to places of culture and leisure activities in #France.
“For anyone over the age of 12 to attend a concert, festival, theme park.. you will have to show your health pass, your vaccination certificate, or a negative test result”⤵️ pic.twitter.com/JwIwYyQBQ6
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en)
Americans naive enough to believe these types of draconian measures are going to stay in Europe need to wake up and realize they are coming soon.
This content was originally published here.