It may not be the end of the Covid-19 epidemic, but it is the end of the “exceptional regimes” to deal with it. Parliament definitively adopted, on Tuesday July 26, by a final vote of the Senate, a bill which explicitly puts an end to the 1er August to the health pass and other measures against Covid-19, but which provides for the possibility of a compulsory test at the borders.
First bill validated under the new legislature, this text had been voted for the last time on Monday by the National Assembly, in its version issued by the Senate, then approved by a mixed committee comprising deputies and senators. It bears the mark of the new parliamentary configuration, which forces the government to seek agreements beyond the presidential majority, in particular with Les Républicains, the leading group in the Senate.
“This text is a necessary shield in the face of a Covid-19 epidemic which has not yet said its last word”, highlighted the Minister of Health, François Braun. He is “the result of a method” who “responds to two key words: dialogue and compromise without compromise”he said. “In the event of a health crisis in the future, if the government needs exceptional powers, it will have to negotiate them one by one with Parliament”rejoiced for his part the rapporteur of the text in the Senate, Philippe Bas (Les Républicains).
- End of sanitary pass, confinement or curfew
The text formally repeals, from 1er August, the part of the public health code relating to the state of health emergency as well as the system for managing the health crisis, which marks the return to common law. The daily life constraint measures provided for by these regimes – sanitary pass, obligation to wear a mask, confinement, curfew… – can no longer be restored.
- A certificate for travelers coming from abroad and for overseas
The bill distinguishes two scenarios, for which the government may, until March 31, 2023, require people over the age of 12 to present a negative Covid test. This will be the only accepted proof: neither vaccination certificate nor proof of recovery will be valid.
For international travel and in the event of the appearance of a dangerous variant in a country, likely to constitute a serious health threat, the government may impose this travel health certificate before boarding the plane bound for French territory. The same provision may apply for travelers from overseas territories, always in the event of a dangerous variant.
For overseas territories, the same possibility is provided, this time in the event of a risk of hospital saturation. Local executives and elected parliamentarians in the community concerned should, however, be consulted.
- Extended SI-Dep and Contact Covid schemes
The national screening information system (SI-Dep), which centralizes all test results, has been extended until June 30, 2023, so that the French can easily access the certificates allowing them to travel to Europe. Contact Covid, which provides follow-up and support for infected people and their contact cases, has been extended until January 31, 2023.
- Reintegration of unvaccinated caregivers according to a new opinion from the HAS
The finding that the health situation no longer justifies the vaccination obligation will be carried out by the High Authority for Health (HAS), which may take action on its own or be seized by the Minister of Health, the Covid-19 control and liaison committee. 19 or by the social affairs committees of the National Assembly or the Senate. For the time being, the HAS has come out against the reintegration of unvaccinated caregivers.