French lawmakers vote bill ending virus mandates on Aug 1

French Minister for the Economy and Finances Bruno Le Maire addresses Members of Parliament during a session of questions to the government at The National Assembly in Paris on July 19, 2022. (CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT / AFP)

PARIS / WASHINGTON / MEXICO CITY – The French Parliament adopted on Tuesday a bill ending the state of health emergency and COVID-19 related mandates on Aug 1.

The bill grants the French government power to introduce rules requiring international travelers to present a negative test result when entering France if a new and dangerous variant of COVID-19 were to emerge

In the National Assembly, 184 voted favorable and 149 against. And in the Senate, 209 voted for and 30 against, according to French daily Le Figaro.

The bill grants the French government power to introduce rules requiring international travelers to present a negative test result when entering France if a new and dangerous variant of COVID-19 were to emerge.

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Although France's National Authority for Health (HAS) and the French government refused to allow health workers not vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to the workplace, the bill points out the mandatory vaccination for health workers will only be lifted until the HAS believes it is not justified anymore.

The bill extends the tools monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 test results and the system of follow-up for COVID-19 infected people. 

A woman receives her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 in Mexico City on August 10, 2021.
(ALFREDO ESTRELLA / AFP)

Mexico

Mexico has seen a decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases from the fifth wave, and the trend could hold steady, Undersecretary for Prevention and Health Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell said Tuesday.

"We have seen fewer cases in the last week compared to previous weeks," said Lopez-Gatell in presenting the latest pandemic report at a press conference.

"What we expect is for this downward trend to continue," he told reporters at the National Palace in Mexico City.

Overall hospital occupancy stood at 18 percent, while ventilator bed occupancy is at 5 percent, according to the most recent data.

Average daily deaths during the week starting July 17 were 10, in contrast to the 50 daily deaths on average seen in the week starting July 3.

Mexico, which detected its first case of COVID-19 at the end of February 2020, logged 6,628,541 confirmed cases and 327,109 related deaths as of Monday.

US President Joe Biden attends an event on fighting "ghost guns" crimes at the White House in Washington, DC April 11, 2022. (PHOTO/XINHUA)

US

US President Joe Biden "feels well enough to resume his physical exercise regimen", his physician said on Tuesday.

Biden's symptoms of COVID-19 "have now almost completely resolved", according to the latest memo from White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor.

O'Connor added that Biden, who tested positive for COVID-19 last Thursday, will continue isolation on Tuesday.

Fully vaccinated and twice boosted, Biden has been taking Paxlovid, an antiviral therapy produced by Pfizer and given to patients with COVID-19.

Biden told reporters virtually on Monday that he's anticipating a return to in-person work by the end of the week.