SANITARY PASS. A new health bill could put the anti-Covid system back at the borders, according to the new government spokesperson Olivier Véran. What we know.
[Mise à jour le 5 juillet 2022 à 15h30] On the occasion of the report of the first Council of Ministers of the Borne government last Wednesday, Olivier Véran, new government spokesperson, announced that Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne presented Monday July 4 a new bill against the Covid-19, which opens up the possibility of a border health pass. “If the situation were to require it, it would allow us to reestablish a system of passes at the borders or between the metropolitan territories and the Overseas Territories”, announced Olivier Véran. “On the other hand, all the other measures to fight the epidemic […] are no longer part of this bill” he confirmed, referring in particular to the vaccination or health passes used in public places or gatherings.
This new bill will be examined from Monday, July 11 in the National Assembly. The only tools that remain in the bill are the SI-DEP (screening test results) and Si-VAC (vaccines) computer files, until March 31, 2023.
A draft health law aimed at maintaining “a health monitoring and safety system” until March 2023 has been presented to the Council of State. The preliminary draft could provide for the reinstatement of a health pass at the borders of metropolitan France, in Corsica and in the overseas territories “from August 1, 2022 and until March 31, 2023”. But beware, a health pass is not a vaccination pass. It is obtained by a negative test, proof of recovery from Covid or a vaccine. The health pass is “the result of a virological screening examination that does not conclude contamination with Covid-19, proof of vaccination status concerning Covid-19 or a certificate of recovery following a contamination by Covid‑19 “, specifies the text of the law. It is this same pass which currently prevails to enter hospitals, retirement homes or establishments for the disabled.
The mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi awkwardly shared false information on Monday June 27: “I have information that the vaccine pass could be reactivated from August 1. Naturally, everyone will do what they want to do, but it is our duty to all of us to set an example”, he announced during his presidency of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Council.
Christian Estrosi’s entourage clarified to Le Parisien that in reality, the elected representative of Nice “wanted to talk about the border pass for those who travel, and not the health or vaccination pass at the restaurant”. The mayor of Nice was referring to the date which appears in the draft law which wishes to rehabilitate the health pass at the borders… But the sentence of Christian Estrosi, isolated without its context, has become viral on social networks like Twitter. Senator Bernard Jomier took charge of correcting the situation on his Twitter account:
The health bill does not provide for the extension of the health pass. Article 1 refers to the only Sidep system for collecting data to monitor the epidemic. Let’s debate and adopt the right measures without distorting reality 1/2 pic.twitter.com/kJN5CISg2L
— Bernard Jomier (@BernardJomier) June 24, 2022
From August 1, the government should therefore have a new text adopted by Parliament if it wants to be able to apply the health pass, and not the vaccine, at the borders.
The draft law on the health pass, authenticated by AFP, authorizes the Prime Minister to impose by decree the presentation of a health pass from the age of 12 to “move to or from French territory , Corsica or one of the overseas communities. This border pass could also apply “to personnel working in the transport services concerned”, specifies an article of the Parisian.
In which places is the health pass currently maintained?
Since March 14, 2022, the health pass has been maintained only in retirement homes, nursing homes, hospitals and establishments welcoming people with disabilities, “except in the event of an emergency”, for all patients or accompanying persons. It should be noted that the vaccination obligation remains the rule for caregivers.
Access to health establishments and medico-social services is conditional on the health pass (complete vaccination schedule, negative test for Covid-19 or certificate of recovery) for patients and accompanying persons, except of course in emergencies, where no pass is required. is asked.
From what age does the health pass apply?
The health pass applies to French people from the age of 12, only to go to health establishments, establishments welcoming people with disabilities or the elderly or medico-social establishments.
There are three possibilities for obtaining the health pass: the first is to have a complete vaccination schedule. It consists of two doses required for the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca vaccines, only one dose for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, to which a booster dose is added 4 months after the 2nd injection, except for people who have already contracted Covid-19, or minors. It is also necessary to respect the immunity period after the last injection (7 days for Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, 28 days for Johnson & Johnson). The second is to have a Covid-19 recovery certificate less than 4 months old. Finally, for those who do not wish to be vaccinated, the presentation of a PCR or antigenic test of less than 24 hours is necessary.
What tests to obtain a valid health pass?
PCR, antigen or self-tests under the supervision of a health professional for 24 hours from the date of collection, it is possible to obtain a health pass. These tests are free for French people who have a complete vaccination schedule and for “minors, those with a contraindication to vaccination, those identified in the context of contact tracing made by Health Insurance or TousAntiCovid or even those with a medical prescription or having a certificate of recovery of less than six months”, specifies the Directorate General of Health. Only people who have not been vaccinated or whose vaccination schedule is not complete have to pay 3.35 euros for a self-test carried out in a pharmacy, 20 euros for an antigen test or 44 euros for a PCR test.