TRAVEL UPDATE • VACCINATE OR OUT
Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece hangs in the Louvre, Paris
We often forget France is as much a country of medical achievements as she is renowned for its arts, cuisine, wine, and fashion.
The stethoscope was invented in France in 1816 at the Paris Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital by Rene Laennec. So was the hypodermic needle in 1853 by Charles Pravaz. And the aspirin the same year by Charles Frederic Gerhardt. The rabies vaccine was invented in 1885 by Emile Roux and Louis Pasteur. The latter – with Jean Paul Vuillemin – also invented antibiotics.
Yesterday, Wednesday 21 July 2021, French Prime Minister Jean Castex informed the country that 96% of the 18,000 cases reported on the same day were of people who were unvaccinated.
Castex said France is in the fourth wave of the pandemic and the Delta variant is now dominant in the country. The more contagious Indian variant has resulted in an 150% increase in infections in the last week.
Yesterday was also the start where admission to venues requires a “health pass”.
Vaccinated people were allowed unrestricted entry to popular places including the Louvre and Eiffel Tower.
The “passe sanitaire” will be required for all events or places with more than 50 people.
From Sunday 1 August 2021, it will also be required for restaurants, cafés and shopping centres.
Fines of up to €1,500 will be levied against first-time violations. And more for subsequent ones.