Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to deliver his annual New Year’s Eve address on Friday afternoon, hours after the country declared the Omicron mutant became the dominant strain, and while facing a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Data released by the government late Thursday showed that more than 60% of coronavirus tests match the omicron mutant.
The mutant accounted for only 15% of the total cases recorded in mid-December, but holiday gatherings in recent weeks contributed to its spread and led to an increase in the number of infections.
On Wednesday, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said that the cases of the Omicron mutant double every two to three days, noting that France recorded a daily record, which is 208 thousand cases of Corona virus within 24 hours.
Ferran described it like this: “We see numbers that make you dizzy.”
Earlier this month, French ministers tightened travel restrictions on the UK, citing concerns about the spread of Omicron.
However, the French Ministry of the Interior announced, on Thursday, that British citizens who are legal residents of an EU country will be allowed to transit through France, during the holiday period.
To limit the spread of the omicron mutant, France also announced that it will need a new “vaccine certificate”, in place of the previous “health certificate”, which can be obtained by finally providing a negative Covid test instead of proof of vaccination.
The new system will come into effect from January 15 in restaurants, as well as on some public transport in the country.
President Macron pledged to intensify restrictions on the unvaccinated, but stopped short of making the vaccine mandatory.
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