On August 6, 2021, citizens of Paris stroll through the streets. The French official said that the country is in the “high plateau period” of the fourth wave of the epidemic.
On one day in mid-August, the author came to the institute to work as usual. Before starting the day’s work, I quietly enjoy a cup of coffee at the door. There are still a few weeks away from the official start of school, and the huge campus is empty and quiet. Therefore, the loud arguments in the office seemed a bit harsh. Words such as “new crown epidemic”, “vaccine”, and “health pass” have been spread from time to time.
The author sighed secretly, it is already the second week, and they are still arguing! ? It’s really endless! Before I finished my coffee, a professor walked out of the house. He, who is usually elegant, is blushing at this time. After seeing the author, he shook his head and sighed: “It’s hard to understand! Obviously mass vaccination is the only way out, they just don’t understand!”
The “they” in the professor’s mouth are actually several “liberal” colleagues in the office building. . They have been advocating the “Buddhism” anti-epidemic since last year, and now of course they are also opposed to the “health pass” aimed at implementing compulsory mass vaccination in a disguised form. In fact, this kind of controversy in office buildings is happening throughout France and even the entire European Union.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, similar disputes have caused tears in the whole society. The “Health Pass” was gradually implemented in France and the European Union in early July, which has further increased this social tear, and it has been difficult to heal so far. Some opponents who were dissatisfied with the “Health Pass”, although they had to be vaccinated, were still unwilling.
The controversial “health pass”
The author is very familiar with one of the “them”, and once discussed with this “liberal” who is well-known in his workplace. In addition to doubts about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and other scientific reasons, the “health pass” is contrary to the traditional political values of Europe and America, and it is the main reason why he and “them” oppose it.
Some of the “them” actually went to the city center to demonstrate two weeks ago! Thinking of the elegant, serious, and eloquent professors on the podium, covering their noses and shouting under the “guns and bullets” of the gendarmerie’s tear gas and finally escaping, apart from lamenting their courage, I also felt more sense of the absurdity of the entire society under the epidemic. Layer experience.
On August 9, 2021, Paris police check the “Health Pass” in the restaurant
”Vaccinations for all people should be part of the’social contract’ during the special period.”
Although after several weeks of relatively fierce street demonstrations, the “Health Pass” was finally enforced, and people often greeted them like this: “Have you been vaccinated?” “Is the first shot or the second shot?” “Is healthy? Do you have a code?” Such a greeting does not actually conform to the lazy and unrestrained temperament of the French, but without the “health pass”, it would have been difficult to do so.
From the beginning of August, in theory, an individual’s “health pass” should be shown at various restaurants, shopping malls, and long-distance trips. However, the actual situation is not satisfactory. There are many reasons. For example, many restaurant and shopping mall operators cannot refuse customers who do not have a “health pass”. Who can refuse large orders that come automatically after a few months of bleak business? In those few weeks, the author happened to be traveling on vacation. Whether it was taking a train or eating in a restaurant, I did not receive a request to show a “health pass”; only two times were asked to show it, one at an exhibition held at the City Hall. The other time was in a museum.
“Health Pass” cannot be avoided
Just when everyone was not optimistic about the “health pass” policy, the French health authorities stepped up inspections. The patrol officers on the street have a new task: they have to walk into crowded places such as restaurants and shopping malls to randomly check “health passes.” Violators will be punished with a fine of 135 euros, and businesses will be punished with a penalty of 1,300 euros, and may even be forced to shut down.
Under the influence of several days of law enforcement storms, the people who stubbornly refused vaccines in the past finally diverged.
A researcher in the office building has been actively opposed to the government’s “Health Pass” policy since the beginning of July, and went to the city center on time every Saturday to participate in a demonstration against the “Health Pass”. Unexpectedly, not long ago, the author and him met in the corridor. His face was exhausted, and when I asked, I found out that he had side effects after the vaccination. The author was amazed at the rapid compromise of this “hard-piece”, and he could only shook his head and sighed: “No way, since the epidemic last year, the wife and children are looking forward to this year’s vacation trip. They can’t go to the Normandy Sea because there is no such thing. “Health Pass”, stay in the hotel every day! Oh, yes! Even hotel check-in also requires a “Health Pass”!”
”Just do it” and “Ranking from the bottom” are the impressions of many French people of Macron’s ruling team. . Like many controversial policies in the past few years, the “health pass” policy, which aims to force the implementation of vaccines on a large scale in the shortest period of time, has finally been implemented quickly despite the fierce resistance of the French society.
Of course, there are still many real “stubborns” around the author! One of my neighbors is a student studying composition at the Conservatory of Music. This person is young, but he has learned the “vaccine conspiracy theory” from an unknown source, and he believes in it. This dear man usually loves to drink, love to make friends, and likes to talk about the mountains in the bar. To be honest, he is not shy about viruses. At the beginning of the release, the epidemic was still severe at the time. He still greeted friends and drank a small drink in the bar every day, and then talked about composition all night long. He still doesn’t wear a mask, and he doesn’t avoid gatherings with large numbers of people, but he is terribly afraid of vaccines, and has an attitude of “holding on to the end”.
August 2, 2021, on the streets of La Rochelle, France
Restaurants and other places where people gather, although they are required to show a “health pass” at the door, they are not authorized to check their ID cards.
After the “Health Pass” was implemented, the once friendly bartenders had no choice but to refuse his “patronage” with a cold face. This former “bar master” can only sit at home all day long. At present, he not only has no plans to vaccinate, but even further develops new resentment towards the vaccine, and sells his conspiracy theories whenever he meets people. It’s just that the old bar friends all finished the vaccination early, and fewer and fewer people are interested in hearing his “wonderful talk” about vaccines.
Vaccine conspiracy theorists are not welcome
Recently, the “Parisian” reported two cases of extreme resistance to the vaccine. One is a taxi driver and the other is a firefighter. Their occupation requires mandatory vaccination. Both took the drastic means of resignation. When the reporter asked the reason, they were nothing more than worried about the side effects of the vaccine.
”Ignorance!” When the author shared the news with colleagues in the office during the coffee break, the old professor in the previous article yelled instantly. This veteran scholar who was over seventy years old joined the army and actively participated in the “May Movement” in France in the late 1960s. He is very dissatisfied with the “unhealthy trends” of vaccine conspiracy theories in recent months and the hesitation of some people in vaccination.
”If I were the President of the Republic, I would directly force everyone to be vaccinated!” When the old scholar said this, my colleagues were shocked. The old scholars have their own opinions: “Vaccinations for all people should be part of the’social contract’ in a special period. Ordinary people enjoy social welfare, so of course it should be an obligation to vaccinate actively to maintain the normal operation of society. Only enjoy rights and not Isn’t it extremely selfish to fulfill one’s obligations?”
Of course, the enforcement of the “Health Pass” has gradually slackened after several days of rigorous arrest. Restaurants and other places where people gather, although they are required to show a “health pass” at the door, they are not authorized to check their ID cards. At first, not many people knew about this loophole, but in recent days, more and more people have exploited this loophole. These people believe that encountering a police inspection is really a small probability event.
In general, the social movement against the “Health Pass” a few weeks ago has gradually slowed down. The opposition has been diverted, because most opponents have to choose to vaccinate, otherwise it will be difficult to move. The health authorities have repeatedly notified the proliferation of known variant viruses and the possible arrival of other unknown variant viruses, and the average daily number of new cases has always remained at more than 20,000. After a few months of winter, will we return to the nationwide lockdown? Return to normal social life? It depends on the progress of vaccination. And vaccination is really a “speed of life and death” contest with the virus.
