Eiffel Tower reopens with new requirement of Covid passes

Dhaka: With a “welcome” message, the popular landmark Eiffel Tower greeted tourists on July 16 as it reopened to the public in nearly nine months.

The “Iron Lady” of Paris was closed in October as France struggled with its second virus surge, and remained shut for renovations till now.

The tower’s reopening followed President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement of new measures to curb the fourth surge. The new measures include mandatory vaccinations for health workers and mandatory Covid-19 passes to visit restaurants and tourist spots.

From July 21, all visitors to the Eiffel Tower over 18 years of age will need to show a pass proving they have been fully vaccinated, had a negative virus test, or recently recovered from coronavirus.

Masks are mandatory to visit, and the number of daily visitors to the tower will be limited to about half the pre-pandemic amount of 25,000.

“Before the pandemic, it was 80 percent foreigners, 20 percent French. Last year, it was 80 percent French, 20 percent foreigners. And this year, it’s amazing because it’s fifty-fifty. And for us, it’s the time that foreigners are coming back to the Eiffel Tower,” said Eiffel Tower Director Patrick Branco Ruivo.