Macron’s vaccine war BEGINS: France confirms plan to ban unvaccinated from ‘basic life’

Ministers in the lower house of the French parliament passed draft legislation including the vaccine pass shortly after 5am on Thursday following an all-night parliamentary session, passing by a margin of 214 to 93. The legislation will now go to the Senate before a concluding vote in the National Assembly. If passed through here, the vaccine pass will apply to over 16s and not over 12s as the French Government had originally pushed for.

The bill would require people to show proof of a full course of vaccination against Covid in order to enjoy basic aspects of life such as inter-city train travel, attending cultural events or eating out.

A recent Covid test or proof of recovery will no longer be accepted.

For several months, the French people had had to show either proof of a Covid vaccination or a negative coronavirus test to gain entry to venues such as cinemas and cafes, and also use trains.

But with the ongoing Delta and new Omicron variant infections surging over recent weeks, the Government decided to drop the test option in the new bill.

The new Covid pass will likely further infuriate the unvaccinated in France, who have been left outraged by comments from Mr Macron that he wanted to “p*** off” the group.

Earlier this week, the French President told Le Parisien newspaper he wanted to make the lives of those refusing a vaccine so complicated by squeezing them out of public places that they would end up getting jabbed.

He said: “The unvaccinated, I really want to p*** them off. And so, we’re going to continue doing so, until the end. That’s the strategy.”

In his interview, Mr Macron used the term “emmerder” to express how he wanted to stir up the unvaccinated.

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On Thursday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the country is ready to deploy a fourth Covid vaccination or second booster shot as soon as health authorities allow it.

He told BFM TV and RMC Radio: “When the health authorities will give us the go-ahead, we’ll go for it.”

The latest data from the French Government shows more than 90 percent of over 12s – who the new vaccine pass now applies to – have received at least two doses.

Health Minister Olivier Veran said since October 1, a record number of people received a first shot yesterday following Mr Macron’s controversial comments aimed at the unvaccinated.

On Wednesday, France registered a new record of more than 332,000 Covid cases in the latest 24-hour period.

An additional 246 deaths Covid deaths in hospitals were also recorded.