VACCINE PASS. As of August 1, 2022, the government will no longer be able to use the vaccination pass without a new law. Explanations.
[Mis à jour le 1er juillet 2022 à 11h38] This Thursday, June 30, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented the new health bill to the presidents of the parliamentary groups. The vaccination pass does not appear in this new bill on “vigilance measures” which will take effect on August 1. This means that the government will have to go through a new law if it wishes to reactivate the vaccination pass. “The virus is circulating actively again, but the impact on the hospital system is low,” justified the Prime Minister to the presidents of parliamentary groups on Thursday.
Indeed, in the new health bill consulted by our colleagues from France Inter, the possibility of activating this tool for checking the vaccination status is not mentioned. The first article extends until March 31, 2023 the devices for epidemic surveillance and identification of contact cases (the SI-Dep and Contact Covid computer files). The second provides for the possible implementation of border control systems, such as the health pass only, if a worrying variant were to spread rapidly abroad.
The vaccination pass is governed by a transitional regime law for the state of health emergency which officially ends it on July 31, 2022. Until this date, it could be suspended as reactivated in the event of an upsurge in the epidemic which is accompanied by “a rise in hospitalizations and resuscitation”, leading to the “deprogramming” of operations, Emmanuel Macron pointed out in an interview with Brut on April 8.
The application of the vaccination pass was suspended until further notice on March 14 “in all places where it was required (leisure and cultural places, commercial catering activities, fairs and trade shows)”. The vaccine pass will finally have lasted less than two months, since it only came into force on January 24, 2022.
Is the vaccination pass still necessary to travel?
From the moment your journey takes place in France, the vaccination pass is no longer required to take the plane, a train or a long-distance bus since March 14, 2022. But if you are traveling abroad, the health rules are different depending on the country of destination. Some member countries of the European Union may require a negative test, proof of vaccination or a certificate of recovery from Covid-19. It is advisable to inquire beforehand about the France Diplomacy website. To travel to countries such as Portugal, Spain, Germany or Italy for example, it is still mandatory to present a digital EU COVID certificate.
How to get the EU digital COVID certificate?
To travel to one of the member countries of the European Union, an EU digital COVID certificate is required for travelers aged 12 and over. Since February 1, 2022, it is obtained by one of these three proofs:
- A vaccination certificate : if you have an initial vaccination schedule (one dose of Janssen vaccine or two doses of Moderna, AstraZeneca or Pfizer), the digital EU COVID certificate is valid from the 14th day to the 9th month (270 days exactly) “depending on the ‘administration of the last dose of the primary vaccination schedule’ specifies the official website of the European Union. If you have taken a booster dose (for travelers over 18 in addition to the initial vaccination schedule), then your digital EU COVID certificate has no validity limit at this time.
- A test result negative for Covid-19 : antigen test valid for 24 hours or RT-PCR test valid for 72 hours. However, it is advisable to check the period of validity of the negative test required according to the European country via the France Diplomacy website.
- A certificate of reinstatement at Covid-19 : valid from the 14th day to the 9th month (270 days exactly) “following the first and only dose after the recovery of an infected person” specifies the official website of the European Union. In addition, people who have recovered from Covid-19 within 180 days of traveling to the European Union have a valid Covid-19 recovery certificate.
These rules only apply to vaccination certificates used for the purpose of traveling within the European Union, which are checked at borders. They are not the same in a national context.
Is a booster dose necessary to return to France from abroad?
In the European context, people aged 18 or over wishing to enter the national territory must have received a booster dose no later than 9 months (exactly 270 days) following the injection of the last dose of the primary vaccination schedule (one dose of Janssen vaccine or two doses of Moderna, AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines). It should be noted that the vaccination pass is “reactivated as soon as the person has made his vaccination reminder”, underlines the government website.
Do I have to take a negative test to return to France from abroad?
Since February 12, 2022, the rules at the borders of the national territory have been relaxed. Vaccinated travelers “within the meaning of European regulations” no longer need to present a negative test to return to France, “regardless of the country of origin”, specifies the Ministry of the Interior website.
For “unvaccinated travellers, the obligation to present a negative test to travel to France remains, but the measures on arrival (test, isolation) are lifted when they come from countries on the green list, characterized by a moderate circulation of the virus”, specifies the ministry. “When unvaccinated travelers come from an orange list country, they must continue to present a compelling reason” and will always be subjected to “a random test on arrival”. “Travellers who test positive will have to isolate themselves, in accordance with the recommendations of Health Insurance”, adds the ministry’s website.
What controls of the vaccination pass, test or certificate of recovery at the borders?
Travelers aged 12 and over entering a European Union member state are systematically checked by air or sea. They must provide a valid European Digital COVID Certificate. Equipped with a QR Code that the authorities scan with the TousAntiCovid Verif application, the European Digital COVID Certificate is a tool that makes it possible to “streamline and accelerate” border controls. The philosophy of this European pass is to “regain freedom while guaranteeing the best possible health security”, explains the government in a press release.
To date, the 27 member countries of the European Union and 35 non-EU countries (and territories) have joined the EU’s digital COVID certificate system, of which the “vaccination pass” is a part. than the negative antigenic test or the immunity certificate.
The EU digital COVID certificate is required for travelers crossing the borders of 27 member states of the European Union : France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Croatia, Greece, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta, Denmark, Poland, Finland , Sweden, Hungary and the Czech Republic, but also in the countries of the Schengen area located outside the European Union : in Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, then in the principalities of Monaco and Andorraand in the following countries outside the European Union : Albania, Armenia, Benin, Cape Verde, El Salvador, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Panama, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore , Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man), Uruguay and Vatican.