‘Biggest lies in history’ Macron faces mutiny as sweeping new Covid rules to hit France
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French broadcasting group TF1 reported on Sunday that Mr Macron’s government were preparing to decide on a “curfew” for New Year’s Eve celebrations. An advisor told the TF1 news channel La Chaîne Info that “the question is posed” as COVID-19 cases spike in the country. The media outlet added: “The possibility will be decided at the Health Defence Council to be held this Monday.”
Health officials had warned that emergency services risked being overwhelmed with hospitalisations after France recorded over 100,000 cases in a single day on Saturday, which is the highest daily rate since the beginning of the pandemic.
Just short of 3,300 people are in intensive care, reports France24.
This number exceeds the figure of 3,000, which was set in France as the crisis threshold for dealing with severe illness from COVID-19.
Mr Macron is expected to hold a meeting at 15.00 GMT on Monday to discuss the escalating case numbers with French health officials.
Many of the planned New Year’s Eve celebrations organised across the country have already been cancelled ahead of any announcement Mr Macron will make after this meeting.
A curfew was also in place for France last year over the New Year’s Eve period.
The suggestion of tightened restrictions in the country has prompted anger from many
Former MEP and founder of the vocally Eurosceptic Patriots party, Florian Philippot, tweeted: “Curfew on 31 December, like last year?
“But there has been a ‘shame pass’ for months and 90% of adults are vaccinated.
“That would be enough to reveal the fraud of this government!
He added: “A curfew when the 3rd dose was supposed to be “magic” and the Health Pass was supposed to be “the anti-restriction weapon”?
“This is the biggest lie in history. Don’t believe anything anymore, resist 100%!”
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Julien Odoul of the National Rally took to social media to criticise the possibility of new measures coming into force before 2022.
He posted: “The government has been playing us all along.
“Vaccination was supposed to be the return to normal life.
“Yet, despite 90% being vaccinated, contact cases are isolating and the curfew is back.
“COVID-19 is still circulating and they are locking us up even more. STOP!”
Around 22 million people, out of the 40 million who are eligible in France, have received a COVID-19 vaccine booster jab.
However, data from the health ministry showed that approximately 9 in 10 people over the age of 18 are fully vaccinated in France.
France has required people to have a health pass since the summer, meaning that proof of vaccination, recent recovery from the disease or a negative test from the last 48 hours is needed for access to hospitality, large events and long-distance travel across the country.
It applies to anyone over the age of 12.
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega.
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