With coronavirus on the rise and a large amount of people being closer together in France, getting people better fast is really important! The French government has always made it cheap and easy to go to the doctor. That is the reason many people enjoy living in France. However, when I became sick here my first time, it took me several days how to gain access to a doctor.
I learned about the importance of pharmacies. France's government mandates a certain amount of pharmacies, so there are enough, depending on the number of people in a particular area. That means, some places can have two pharmacies next door to each other to serve the large number people living in that area. With this wide availability of pharmacies, a sick person will usually rely on his or her pharmacist first rather than go immediately to the doctor. Pharmacists can examine you and give you medicine based on your symptoms, taking away the immediate need of going to the doctor.
Access to medicine and help from doctors is a fundamental belief in France. The government believes everyone should be taken care of cheaply and efficiently. The French believe healthcare is a basic need, which is why there are so many pharmacies in the country.
