When the French President, Emmanuel Macron, announced anyone not vaccinated against COVID-19 would have to pay for a test to get into a restaurant, the French proved that its famed gastronomy was no mere myth.

More than a million vaccine bookings were made in the 24 hours that followed.

It was a revolutionary move for the land of liberté, égalité and fraternité – particularly a land with some of the highest vaccine hesitancy rates in Europe.  

In fact, under the vaccine passport regime, passed by the French Parliament last month, anyone trying to get into a restaurant, a bar, hospital, plane or long-distance train would have to show proof of their vaccination or evidence of a negative COVID-19 test.