US warns citizens against travel to France over COVID concerns
The US State Department has advised Americans to avoid all travel to France over rising coronavirus cases in the country.
France is battling a fourth wave of the virus even though COVID-19 hospitalizations are still way off previous highs.
The State Department issued a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisory for France on Monday, based on a parallel warning from the US Centers for Disease Control, the country's top medical body.
"If you must travel to France, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel," the CDC said.
France has recorded more than 6 million cases and 111,000 deaths in total, and daily cases have crept back up to around 20,000 a day while deaths remain low compared to the height of the pandemic.
A total of 74 million vaccine doses have been administered in France, according to the World Health Organization, and over 55 percent of the eligible population have received both vaccine doses.
It has also enforced a COVID pass for routine aspects of life.
Anger at President Emmanuel Macron's controversial plan to squeeze infections and encourage vaccinations has seen large protests recently, though polls have shown that a clear majority of French back the COVID pass, even including the extension this week to cafes and restaurants.
© 2021 AFP
