Inspired by our European neighbors, the executive provides for a double obligation of both vaccine and negative test to access certain places in the event of a degraded health situation.
The incessant mutations of the virus require adaptations of the health protocol at the same pace. Presented Monday in the extraordinary Council of Ministers, the government bill to set up the vaccine pass begins to leak. In addition to increased penalties for fake pass holders, the government would reserve the option of requesting both a full vaccination and a negative test to gain access to certain places.
Article 1 of the text tabled by the government refers to cases “In which the interests of public health and the state of the health situation require the accumulation of supporting documents”, according to the Parisian. If the wording remains unclear, the Ministry of Health confirms to our colleagues “provide” This measure. This could be applied in places where it is most contaminated, often because of the non-wearing of the mask and the impossibility of respecting the barrier gestures. “The intention is absolutely not to require a vaccination pass plus a test to go have a coffee”, however, a ministerial source told AFP. “The writing is broad, it will be necessary to specify things by decree. But the measure could concern a few places at very high risk of contamination and for a very short period, for example during an epidemic peak. It would be an alternative to closing these places ”, specifies a government adviser to Release, while nightclubs were closed for four weeks, until January 6.
The logic is simple: even if they are less risky, people who have been vaccinated can still contract and spread the Covid. All the more so with the new omicron variant, which partly escapes the immunity conferred by vaccines.
Faced with this resistant mutant and even more contagious, the strategy would therefore move a little further from the logic of the health pass, namely negative test or complete vaccination schedule.. VSThis situation could be more or less exceptional in the event of a strong resumption of the epidemic, and not concern people who have had their vaccine booster, with already boosted defenses.
Another option is also being considered by the government: “We are also considering the possibility of activating a pass from the first injection of vaccine, provided that a negative test is presented at the same time”, one specifies to Matignon. That is, without waiting for the second dose. “This would make the primary vaccination even more attractive.”
The “2G +” rule
This idea of a double health obligation did not fall from the sky, the French government is inspired by what is done among our neighbors. In Austria, Switzerland or Germany, the “2G +” rule reserves certain places only for vaccinated persons (“geimpfte“) And to the healed (“genesene») Having reinforced their health certificate with a negative test.
Still, this proposal could be amended or deleted during its passage in the National Assembly, scheduled for Wednesday in the law committee. But if passed, avoiding the swab would be an added incentive to get her booster shot, possibly with a shorter delay.
Update : at 2.45 p.m. with Matignon’s clarification on the primary vaccination.