France is facing a surge in cases linked to the Delta variant of the virus, which is more contagious. And now the French Health Minister Olivier Veran has claimed that “the fourth wave is already here”. Figures suggest that nine out of 10 newly infected people are unvaccinated in France, as Mr Veran urged people to get the jab.
The health minister said: “This collective protection is essential to all. We prefer collective responsibility over individualism.”
Mr Veran continued: “If we had not had the vaccine to protect the most fragile, I am not even sure that a general lockdown today would allow us to protect our hospitals and save as many lives as we could save during the year 2020.”
Speaking to French radio RTL he added: “Our indicators have started to increase”, he said, stressing that “today it is an epidemic of young people”, but that it can spread to the most fragile, like it happened in the summer of 2020.
“The 20-30-year-olds, in some regions, are those with the highest incidence rate.
“We understand why, it is because young people are less protected (…) the good news is that they do develop less serious forms”, so they require less hospitalisation.”
Figures from Public Health France show that there has been a rise in cases of coronavirus in recent weeks.
Thousands of new Covid cases are identified every day.
Mr Veran confirmed that the country has seen around 130 percent increase in infections with the virus travelling much quicker compared to the first wave.
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Anyone who does not have a health pass when they need to will face heavy fines and a prison sentence.
More than 100,000 people marched across France on Saturday to protest against the restrictions.
The interior ministry said 137 marches took place across the country, gathering 114,000 people.
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega.