Macron makes Covid jabs compulsory for health workers and vaccine passport needed to eat at cafe or get on a bus

EMMANUEL Macron tonight announced compulsory Covid jabs for all French healthcare workers amid growing fears over a surge in cases of the Delta variant. 

The French President said that all healthcare and retirement home staff would need to get jabbed by September 15 as he unveiled a string of measures to curb the spread. 

In an address to the nation, Macron also announced that a “Covid pass” system would be extended to bars, restaurants and other public venues from August. 

From August, anyone wanting to go out to a bar or restaurant, visit a shopping centre or attend a festival, theatre show or cinema screening will need to show either proof of vaccination or a negative test.

This measure will apply to thousands of British tourists who are hoping to holiday in France this summer.

Around 40 per cent of France’s population is double vaccinated, though the country has slowed down in recent weeks, plunging from an average of 400,000 infections a day at the end of May to around 165,000 a day currently. 

But just 42 per cent of hospital workers and 49 per cent of those working in the care system are double jabbed.

'FACING A SURGE'

France has seen a surge in cases driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant, with cases rising by 4,256 today. 

Macron said: "Our country is facing a surge in the epidemic across our territory, in mainland France as well as overseas.

"The situation is under control, but if we do not act now the number of cases will increase significantly and will lead to a rise in hospitalisations."

He added: "The more we vaccinate, the less space we will leave for the virus to spread.

"It is a new speed race that is underway. We must move towards the vaccination of all French people."

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Tests, which are free, will need to be paid for from September "to encourage vaccination instead of taking many tests", he added.

His speech prompted a huge surge in vaccination bookings - with the Doctolib website claiming that a record 20,000 appointments were being taken every minute during the address.

France has one of the highest levels of vaccine scepticism in the developed world, sparking alarm amongst scientists.

The health passport is available on an anti-Covid app, and can show that a person is either fully vaccinated, has recently recovered from Covid or has tested negative in the past 72 hours.