French Citizens Hurry to Book Vaccines After President Says Dining Out Will Require Vaccination

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A post shared by Emmanuel Macron (@emmanuelmacron)

We are in the midst of the largest vaccination roll-out in history. The COVID-19 vaccines are the key to getting the world past the pandemic, and in countries where there are enough doses to go around, there is still some hesitancy around getting a jab. In the United States, things like lottery drawings and free beer have been used to incentivize people to schedule their shots. But in France, President Emmanuel Macron took a different approach that could make life “miserable” for those who opt out of vaccination.

In a live address on July 12, he painted a bleak picture for those who chose not to get the vaccine; they won't be able to enter a cafe or dine with friends in a restaurant. Travel would be restricted, too.

As of August 1 in France, anyone without a “health pass” demonstrating vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test, would be barred from eateries, movie theaters, and travel by train. And by the fall, many tests will not be free, so as to encourage people to get vaccinated now.

🔴 Hier, 926 000 Français ont pris rendez-vous sur Doctolib pour se faire vacciner (1ère dose). Un record absolu #VaccinationCovid

— Doctolib (@doctolib) July 13, 2021

Macron’s message was heard loud and clear. Following his speech, France received over 900,000 requests—in a single day—through Doctolib, the vaccine booking service. “Yesterday, 926,000 French people made an appointment on Doctolib to be vaccinated (1st dose). An absolute record” Doctolib tweeted.

The sudden rise in vaccination requests will help citizens stay safe, as Macron has indicated that there will be no more lockdown restrictions in place and now people must “live with the virus.” At the time of writing, 39% of French citizens are fully vaccinated and 54% have at least one dose, according to The New York Times database.

h/t: [IFL Science]