France pulls out the big guns!

[NotPregnantJustChubs]

I live in France and Macron has just made a speech saying that from the end of July, vaccination or a negative test is going to be compulsory for cultural and entertainment venues. From August, it’ll be compulsory for cafes and restaurants too. This applies to all 12+.

PCR tests will become paid as of September, to encourage vaccination.

I’m already vaccinated, thankfully, and I do think it’s necessary to contain the delta variant. But wowza, I’m waiting to hear the backlash in the morning. Macron is up for reelection next year as well, they must be very desperate to contain this…

The anti vax never have an alternative option - are we supposed to lock down on and off forever, settle for restrictions forever?

For a start, many unvaccinated are not anti vax. That term is thrown around way to much. Also there is the alternative - testing. But they will be charging for that. However apparently it’s free if you have symptoms so I think that’s fine. People will have a free test by lying and can then be in society. It’s all good.

@loulouljh

Bloody hell-who is vaccinating their kids??!!! Have you not looked at what has happened in the US?! You are truly insane. Poor poor kids.

What's happening in the US then?

It is not "insane" for people who want to have the choice to vaccinated their children. No one is forcing you to vaccinate yours.

@PopcornMuncher

Fantastic and the anti vaxers can do one!

What about people who are not anti vaxers but don't want this vaccine?

Stay at home and never go out?

Vaccines rid us of smallpox, stopped millions getting permanently disabled from Polio & TB, protect kids from measles and its the way out of Covid too.

I hoping that in time, we get an oral vaccine, long lasting and one that is able to protect against all possible mutations.

@TheTallOakTrees

They want this situation to end and can see that vaccination is the only way out.

The anti vax never have an alternative option - are we supposed to lock down on and off forever, settle for restrictions forever?

Agreed.

I for one don’t want to go through another [u]properly policed[/u] , I km radius for exercise, paperwork required lockdown of the type we had here in France last spring.

I appreciate some have genuine concerns and genuine reasons for not being vaccinated but there’s also an element of some people not being arsed to get vaccinated, or see not being vaccinated as some sort of grand political gesture against globalist Macron.

Interesting to see how quickly some people’s principals must have gone out of the window last night given how quickly the vaccination booking site got overwhelmed.

What about people who are not anti vaxers but don't want this vaccine?

You can get the tests free if you have symptoms. You’d just get symptoms regularly, have a a free test and then carry on with your life.

Nearly a million vaccination appointments made since his speech last night !

Nearly a million vaccination appointments made since his speech last night !

I don’t think ruling through fear is anything to be proud of. I certainly wouldn’t be having it.

@DumplingsAndStew

You can get an official record of your vaccination status for travel etc. (We have the same in Wales.)

www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/after-your-vaccine/get-a-record-of-your-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-status

Puts an end to French exchanges/holiday trips for UK pupils then. My daughter's school are running one next spring. Now she can't go. Yet more disappointment for young people. Why bother learning French at school? is what she and her friends will say. Not the be all and end all but still a consideration.

The short notice and timing of this is frustrating. I live in France. I got my first vaccination as soon as I could - high demand for appointments when they first opened for under 50s meant it was a couple of weeks before I got something convenient (I wasn’t going on a 50 km round trip for a 9:30 pm appointment).

With the 6 week gap between vaccinations, plus waiting 2 weeks after the second it’s a 2 month process.

I’ve had my first at the earliest sensible opportunity, kept the recommended 6 week gap (even asked to reduce it and was recommended to maintain for best protection) and I won’t be able to go to a shopping centre on 1st August without a test.... Fortunately it’s only a few days which I can work around.

For the under 50s then it’s pretty tight to get your two vaccinations plus 14 days before 1st August.

@VoiceFaceArse

What about people who are not anti vaxers but don't want this vaccine?

You can get the tests free if you have symptoms. You’d just get symptoms regularly, have a a free test and then carry on with your life.

If only it were that simple. How many GPs would believe you if you turned up every 3 days claiming you have symptoms?

In other countries you don’t just book an appointment online, for this reason exactly.

No, Ireland aren't & don't seem to be planning to for the moment.. But only vaccinated will be allowed in cafes, restaurants & indoor events...

Say what?! I have 3 kids, the eldest is 10. If I went to France, I would have to test them each time we went out to a cafe/restaurant?

I have an issue with access to every day activities such as going to a cafe or place of worship being made dependent on health status.

That’s just pushing poor people to the kerb.

How many GPs would believe you if you turned up every 3 days claiming you have symptoms?

So GPs are now going to call patients liars? It gets worse. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Personally I’d probably need 2-3 tests per month, people will have to go to less cafes etc. Worth it if you don’t want the vaccine though.

I have an issue with access to every day activities such as going to a cafe or place of worship being made dependent on health status.

Society as a whole should have an issue with it.

@TooManyPlatesInMotion

Say what?! I have 3 kids, the eldest is 10. If I went to France, I would have to test them each time we went out to a cafe/restaurant?

I have an issue with access to every day activities such as going to a cafe or place of worship being made dependent on health status.

I’m not sure about the children, where I live it’s anyone over the age of 6. Been the case for over 3 months now. You don’t need tests for eating outdoors, but any indoors event will require them.

@hangonamo

Oooh, hadn't seen that before, thank you! 😘

People will have a free test by lying and can then be in society. It’s all good.

It'll probably be like here for travel, they'll only accept private tests and not free ones.

I think those of us who live here would have a bit more empathy with visitors to France if the UK wasn't refusing to accept our vaccination certificates at all!

@chloworm

Puts an end to French exchanges/holiday trips for UK pupils then. My daughter's school are running one next spring. Now she can't go. Yet more disappointment for young people. Why bother learning French at school? is what she and her friends will say. Not the be all and end all but still a consideration.

Well, brexit makes that more complicated anyway.

@chloworm

Puts an end to French exchanges/holiday trips for UK pupils then. My daughter's school are running one next spring. Now she can't go. Yet more disappointment for young people. Why bother learning French at school? is what she and her friends will say. Not the be all and end all but still a consideration.

Well, the UK was offered the chance to join the EU's vaccine passport scheme but refused, thats not Macrons fault.

Interesting. That it's being called political suicide, for real-election next year.

@HilaryThorpe

I think those of us who live here would have a bit more empathy with visitors to France if the UK wasn't refusing to accept our vaccination certificates at all!

Hear hear. I’d be inclined on making this measure aplicable to UK visitors only. It’s such nonsense that they refuse to accept other countries’ vaccination certificates. Which are, you know, in English and most of the time issued by the WHO.

It'll probably be like here for travel, they'll only accept private tests and not free ones.

If that’s the case, it just forces poor people who don’t want the vaccine out of society. That’s not right.