Emmanuel Macron intends to ‘piss off’ the unvaccinated.

Macron like others is in electioneering mode and what he said should be seen through that lens. There are only three ways governments can influence events internal to a country - throwing money at them, propaganda and regulation. All three can only achieve limited success. There will always be people who can't be 'reached' and who stand a higher chance of dying from Covid or being affected by long Covid.

Luckygirl3

Good for him! At least there is one politician who is prepared to tell it like it is and put the safety of the citizens above sucking up to voters.

These unvaccinated people are not being demonised; they are just being told that there are some things they will not be able to do, for the safety of the majority.

I am not allowed to get on a bus and wave a gun around - I am not being demonised; I am being told what cannot be done for the safety of others.

I totally agree with this.

Well said LuckyGirl3..!!

Quite right too, Boris and Co are quite happy to throw us under the bus, making travel into and out of the country ridiculously easy, in the interests of the economy. I saw a headline a couple of days ago where Sir Andrew Pollard said we couldn’t keep vaccinating every six months and the fourth jab shouldn’t be given until ’there is more evidence’ (then vulnerable given priotity)
Have I missed something here? Boris is spouting vaccination as the solution, why then would we need more evidence?

As vaccinated people can spread Covid in the same way as vaccinated people, I don't really understand this way of thinking. I suppose I am being a bit old-fashioned in believing that you get yourself vaccinated to protect yourself, not everybody else, so the unvaccinated are only putting themselves at risk.

My boss is fully vaccinated including the booster but was pretty poorly with Covid at Christmas and so could have passed it to others even though he was fully vaccinated - as I said, you can still be infected with Covid and spread it regardless of your vaccination status so stopping certain people from participating in normal life simply because they are not protecting themselves seems rather harsh.

GOOD for him! wish our government had the balls the be a strong leader too! as most of the bed blockers in covid wards are unvaccinated who brought it on themselves and could have been prevented, putting unnecessary strain on the NHS which then impacts the rest of us waiting for routine care. They should make them sign a waiver OK no jab = no free NHS care if you catch it then!

He’s already pissed us off! Cancelled our skiing holiday two days before we were due to go. Had already paid £330 for two cpr tests which we had to cancel. Didn’t get the money back - just a credit note! Which we’ll never use!

I agree juicy. If only we had the same strong leadership here, maybe we would have far fewer unvaccinated. I'm no fan of Macron but I believe he's doing the right thing. As was said upthread, if the French don't like it they should consider what their fate would be if they lived in China. I know which country I'd prefer to live in.

Do you think I dont know the figures? It doesnt change my concerns about what Macron is doing.

I think Macron is right to do this. Other countries, Austria I think have restrictions for people who refuse vaccination. I wish our government would do the same.

Galaxy

This may be the first time in my life that I am almost grateful to have Johnson as PM instead of some other European leaders. I am sure this feeling will pass. It is never a good idea to demonise a section of society.

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/dec/22/help-us-to-help-you-doctors-in-england-make-pleas-to-unvaccinated
80% to 90% of patients in ICU with covid in St Barts NHS Trust were not vaccinated. The result is the NHS in crisis. Although I don’t like the man, I think Macron is making the right decisions in a pandemic.

I am not too keen on Macron but, like many other countries leaders, he must be wondering how he can stop the anti-vaxxers from holding his country to ransom. If he brings such strict measures in he will be surprised how many unvaccinated will be changing their minds and getting their jabs once their travel, entertainment and leisure pursuits are denied them. Boris take note!!!

Galaxy

This may be the first time in my life that I am almost grateful to have Johnson as PM instead of some other European leaders. I am sure this feeling will pass. It is never a good idea to demonise a section of society.

And have the NHS with ‘hospitals critical incident’. Staff overworked with holidays being refused and at least one pregnant worker being refused to be allowed to work part time because certain people in society refuse to be vaccinated which would in the majority of cases lessen hospitalization.

politely

Macron after asking, then telling the French people to go for vaccinations polity over the last few weeks, did swear to shock people. It seems to have worked as on the news this evening we were told that more people than normal were vaccinated today.

I suspect the majority of people in many countries would be of the view that those who refuse to be vaccinated should be punished in some way.
Equally I suspect compulsory vaccination wouldn’t be universally acceptable, so denying the refusers access to a variety of establishments seems like a reasonable ‘punishment’ to me.
If we didn’t have approximately five million still unjabbed here, wouldn’t we be in a much better position right now?

I'm all for freedom of choice - under normal circumstances. In this world pandemic situation, though, the unvaccinated (by choice) have no right to limit, and endanger, the lives of others.

I think he has it spot on (shame about the language, though) and he's caught the mood of the majority.

Surprising so much fuss about his language choice ( hardly that bad!) He’s a lightweight compared to Angela Rayner in that dept.?
However I do not believe in demonising those who refuse to be vaccinated ( for whatever reasons) or treating them badly.
I don’t believe that the UK would ever go down that route thank goodness.

Josieann

Lucca

Josieann

Casdon you're right, it does contain the excrement word, but that in itself is used a bit more mildly in French than in English.

Did he say “faire shier “?

Nope, faire chier would gave been pretty vulgar!!

Oops sorry chier not shier !!
Ah pour emmerder then.

I believe it was said in an interview after a row in parliament about trying to block the change in legislation from pass sanitaire to pass vaccinal, so negative tests will no longer count and you will have to be vaccinated for entry to bars, restaurants, cinemas etc.
Watching the news it sounds as if more people approve than disapprove of what he said.
Casdon merde does mean shit and emmerder can mean anything from annoyance to something much stronger. But here 'I am going to piss them off" (and not let them into bars etc) is closest.

*have

Lucca

Josieann

Casdon you're right, it does contain the excrement word, but that in itself is used a bit more mildly in French than in English.

Did he say “faire shier “?

Nope, faire chier would gave been pretty vulgar!!

I think our own Johnson is not unacquainted with swearing - didn’t he say “fuck business” when business people complained about his policies?

Josieann

Casdon you're right, it does contain the excrement word, but that in itself is used a bit more mildly in French than in English.

Did he say “faire shier “?

Perhaps the use of provocative language was deliberate, knowing that it would probably gain maximum publicity.

He would have been well aware that his choice of phrase would be pounced upon.