As the country is facing a fifth epidemic wave, France is leading a two-front battle between Delta and Omicron. In order to curb the spread of Covid-19 as the Holidays are close, the government has decided to instate new restrictions such as closing nightclubs and cancelling New Year’s Eve concerts and firework shows.
During a press brief held on Friday December 17, 2021, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the government was willing to transform the health pass into a vaccinal pass. Therefore, a negative test will no longer be relevant to get the precious door opener. Now, the calendar for the approval of the bill is speeding up.
The spread of the Omicron variant in the country is involved in the decision. It could be at the origin of a sixth epidemic wave. The increase in the contamination toll already enables to assess the impact of this mutant. Following consultation with local elected representatives as part of the implementation of the vaccinal pass, Gabriel Attal stated in his report the Omicron variant is found in 10% of contaminations from the past weekend. “We probably are beyond now, and much beyond in some regions such as Île-de-France, and especially in Paris”. In the French capital city, the variant is said to be over one case in three.
