A record number of French citizens booked vaccine shots Monday after French President Emmanuel Macron said that starting in August, anyone who wants to visit cafes, bars or shopping centers must show a “health pass” that certifies they’ve been vaccinated or recently tested negative for the coronavirus.
“Get vaccinated!” the president said in a live address to the nation, warning of a new coronavirus surge fueled by the fast-spreading delta variant.
Many French people got the message loud and clear. On Monday, 926,000 people booked their first dose through the online medical platform Doctolib — “an absolute record,” the site says. Hundreds of thousands more have continued to book slots on Tuesday.