Citizens of France are now required to show a Covid health pass in bars, restaurants and long-distance public transport, proving they are fully vaccinated, recently had a negative test or recovered from the virus.

This is despite further protests on Saturday involving close to a quarter of a million people across the country for the fourth straight week.  Marches were held in 150 cities with 237,000 people protesting against the health pass.

President Emmanuel Macron is confident the plan will help to increase vaccinations and contain the fourth wave of coronavirus, in a strategy akin to that of Germany and Italy.

"The pass and the vaccination drive should help us avoid new curfews and lockdowns," Health Minister Olivier Véran told French daily Le Parisien.

Veran added the regulations have been changed slightly, including tests being 72 hours old and not 48, and self-tests undertaken with medical supervision would be permitted.

The Health Minister stressed the rules will be in place until November at the earliest, going on to say: "I am willing to hear the fears, do everything to reassure. But there comes a time when enough is enough," he said.

President Macron hopes the health pass strategy will speed up France’s vaccination drive, where 55% of people in the country have now received both doses of the vaccine. Since the plans were announced, around seven million new bookings were made for first jabs.

Macron, who faces re-election in 2022, has turned to social media platform TikTok recently to convey his vaccination message.

On his latest video uploaded last week, the President said: "Get vaccinated. Get vaccinated. Get vaccinated.

"It's a question of being a good citizen ... our freedom is worth nothing if we infect our friends, neighbours or grandparents. To be free is to be responsible."