I am sometimes asked why I say little about the demonstrations that have now swept over France. Looked, observed, decided to write. In the beginning, there were really not enough people, now 200 thousand people are taking to the streets against the introduction of sanitary passes. They have already begun to be compared with "yellow vests" - everything happens just as regularly, absolutely different people gather, of different professions with different social status. But if about 70% of the French were sympathetic to the "vests", then about 35% of the rebels today.
It is not difficult for me to understand them. They do not want mandatory passes, restrictions on access to almost everything: you cannot even use a train or plane if you are not vaccinated. The option to "make tests" can be discarded right away, because they are now paid and cost fifty euros each. And if a family of four and children are over 12, then all € 200 must be added to the cost of going to the zoo or cafe. It is too costly in an already difficult economic environment today. So there are two options: either get vaccinated (for free), or get sick.
Opinions, as always, were shared: some rushed to get vaccinated, because it would be easier that way. So that parents do not interfere, they even adopted a special law that allows 16-17-year-olds to inject without the consent of mom and dad. And others began to look for where to pick up this COVID-19. Messages from those wishing to get infected are scattered on social networks, so that later they can receive a certificate of a past illness and just walk freely around the cafe for six months. Only if this "later" comes. The tolerance of this COVID-19 is very, very individual for everyone. Judging by what doctors working in the "red zones" of Europe say now, more and more young people are in intensive care. After all, as we see it to ourselves: you got into intensive care, they dragged you out - and ran to enjoy life, as before. But if you read what those who came out of there say, then everything looks darker.
All these stories, how they learn to walk anew, how their stomachs are punctured by drugs, how people suffocate, swallow air ... And then all these problems with memory, concentration, mental decline. After - it's a completely different life. But somehow they don't talk about it at parties. Sometimes I wish that for all these covid-pofigists they arranged excursions to hospitals, so that they could see with their own eyes what could happen to them. Yes maybe. Yes, not a fact that will happen. But no one knows in advance how our body will behave when it encounters a virus. You can, of course, hope for the best, only you don't want to bite your elbows later, scrambling out of the worst.
People also have different reactions to the vaccine. But the percentage of fatal allergic reactions is extremely small in comparison with the number of deaths from the virus itself. It also depends on the type of vaccine, but in general, according to the French Minister of Health, in the short term, the benefits of an injection are much greater. At least it protects against severe disease by 99%. One case in the world when a fully vaccinated person (one in 7 billion) still ended up in intensive care and died. But even without vaccination, apparently, after infection with the virus, the same end would await him. And the rest of the thousands and thousands of vaccinated people carry the virus easier. And it's hard to argue with that. It is clear in the short term, but what in the long term? Here, yes, a gray area, there is little clarity. Hence, many theories, speculations, rumors. Again, I don't understand people who are afraid of our vaccines,although the technology for delivering the virus into the body is proven and reliable.
Won in San Marino, a country without a single covid case, thanks to our vaccination, European certificates based on "Sputnik V" are already issued, which are recognized throughout the EU, although the vaccine itself has not been registered.
But here it is already pure politics, which has nothing to do with science.
I understand (this does not mean that I agree) people who are afraid for the future of their children because of the use of RNA vaccines (purely emotional fear of the unknown).
But have all developed countries collectively decided to destroy their entire population?
Who is FOR vaccinations - will definitely point to the opinion of a well-known virologist, who is against - will also find this. A sea of all kinds of content appeared on the network, prophecies, secret documents such as prohibited leaks. The French even made a semblance of a horror short film about how they try to strangle ordinary people with disposable masks, stab them like lambs with injections. Well, how many lives did such masks actually save? Has anyone counted?
It is clear that the French are tired. They were tormented by quarantines for so long, social life was on pause for two years, people became much more irritable, the number of visits to psychologists and child psychiatrists soared, the level of domestic violence and crime in general rose sharply. And every time people were told that they needed to endure a little more, to sacrifice this and that, so that everything would finally end. But now they decided to take away also the freedom of choice. Nominally, he is, but in fact ... And many are finished. Moreover, on the one hand, the president makes it clear that compulsory vaccination is still inevitable, and on the other hand, he introduces passes not for a couple of weeks to stabilize the situation, but at least until the end of autumn with the possibility of extension. If something is introduced, then it is thorough and for a long time. Although it is not ruled out that such measures will be canceled right before the elections. An interesting move.
Until then, people continue to compete in the most sophisticated ways of expressing protest. Macron was portrayed as Hitler on giant billboards. No, but what? The caricature, however, differs little from the photo. In France, you can make fun of everything? Everything except the head of state: he took offense and filed a lawsuit. However, such comparisons with the Nazis really feel uncomfortable, like many of Charlie Hebdo's cartoons. But this is personal. In Besançon, for example, a small group of people tore off a portrait of the president and hung up a QR code instead. In Samad, someone installed a guillotine in front of the doctors' office. Somewhere vandals climbed into vaccination centers. I would like to ask them: what, is this all the virus will sharply kill and destroy? No, after all, it will only throw additional problems for ordinary people.
Trade unions urge everyone to go on strike. While this was done by the doctors of one of the hospitals, vaccination has already become mandatory for health workers. Social networks write about the mass dismissal of doctors, but then we look at the numbers - and already half of the adult population of France is fully vaccinated. Half! Another 10% were given an injection on top of that. And the vaccination centers are not empty, as it was at the very beginning, people are walking. Even politicians who vehemently oppose the introduction of a sanitary pass, such as, for example, a former associate of Marine Le Pen Florian Fillipo, and they have already issued this pass to travel around Europe. But at the same time, they gather crowds of people and demand its abolition.
The market for fake certificates is also flourishing, although a year in prison and € 45,000 in fines can be given for a fake. In general, France, being a trendsetter, extended the idea of introducing passes to the whole of Europe. Even in small Belgium, they thought about such a measure for access to public events. So, you look, and vaccination will become mandatory. I won't be surprised anymore. They would only give a choice of which vaccine to protect themselves with. But so far these are only plans, at least the French ones, which have already been announced. Now all the ministers are on vacation - summer is still, although it was also pretty spoiled by fires, floods and sanitary restrictions everywhere, from the obligatory wearing of masks on the street to forced quarantine upon returning from vacation. But people are trying to somehow relax before the fall. And it, judging by the epidemic, protests and newly taken measures, promises to be difficult.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.