French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the 2020 Phoneton, an annual fundraising operation organised by the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund's French affiliate (Fonds Armenien de France) for the development of Armenia and Artsakh, on November 21, 2020 in Paris. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Emmanuel Macron seen on November 21, 2020 in Paris.
LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
  • France will soon start requiring people to use a COVID-19 "health passport" to get into nonessential establishments.
  • People will have to show they have the COVID-19 vaccine, recently recovered from the virus, or have a recent negative COVID-19 test.
  • The policy will go into action in August, Macron said.
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French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that COVID-19 vaccine passport will soon be required for people to visit non-essential places like restaurants and tourist attractions.

Macron said the new policy will start in August, AFP reported, citing Macron's televised address.

The country will be using a "health passport" program, in which people can share a QR code or certificate to establishments to show they are either vaccinated against COVID-19, recently recovered from the virus, or have had a negative COVID-19 test.

"If we do not act today, the number of cases will continue to increase," Macron said in the address, according to France 24.

Macron also said that healthcare workers will be required to be vaccinated by September 15, and that for non healthcare workers, getting vaccinated is a "matter of individual responsibility … but also a matter of our freedom."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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