The Assembly adopted the bill introducing the vaccination pass, (214 votes for, 93 votes against) which prohibits non-vaccinated people from having access to a normal life. This vote poses a scientific problem and raises many political questions.
That’s it. This morning, at 5:30 am, after three nights of often stormy debates, the presidential majority has finally passed the first reading of the bill introducing a vaccination pass to the French by 214 votes for, 93 against and 27 abstentions. The text must be examined quickly by the Senate before promulgation in mid-January 2022.
What does the text provide?
As soon as the law is enacted, French citizens over 12 years of age will have to present a complete vaccination schedule (one or two doses depending on the vaccine) or a certificate of recovery according to certain criteria (not yet known). Negative PCR or antigenic tests will no longer be valid for access to places of recreation, fairs, seminars or even inter-regional transport. Health facilities and services will be exempt from the vaccination pass.
Scientific problem
This bill “reinforcing the tools of health crisis management” remains a rather worrying gas factory. From a scientific point of view, there is no evidence that vaccines are effective against the new variants. More and more scientific authorities are speaking out against the lack of effectiveness of vaccines and even their harmfulness against the Omicron variant. “It seems that the vaccine generates facilitating antibodies which increase the contagiousness” explains Pr Eric Chabrière, university professor at the Marseille medical school. In other words, instead of protecting the French, the vaccine pass could have the opposite effect! We will talk about this in a future article.
Political problems
This government bill also presents some political flaws. For example, how long will the vaccination pass be imposed on the French? The text does not say. Certainly, the Republican senators are wondering about a “vaccine pass expiration mechanism”, depending on the rate of contamination, but “nothing is planned for the end of the vaccine pass at this stage”, acknowledged Prime Minister Jean Castex. A lifetime vaccination pass? That’s scary.
Finally, last night’s vote not only opens up a serious rift in French society but also divides political groups. Notably among Les Républicains where the group counts 103 deputies of which 28 voted for, 24 against, 22 abstained and 29 were absent. What unanimity!
We have just passed the bill on #PassVacinal.
The presidential majority is unanimously mobilized to protect the French. pic.twitter.com/TSrHTq7Qws– Stanislas Guerini (@StanGuerini) January 6, 2022