News Digest: Parliament Agrees New Law on France’s Health Pass

First published: 27th July 2021 by Zoë Smith 7

News

As other countries such as the UK lift Covid restrictions, France is buckling down on its health measures and tightening regulations for unvaccinated citizens and travellers. Here’s what you need to know about France’s Health Pass, local laws, and travelling in France from this week on.

1. France’s Health Pass Comes into Force

After extended parliamentary debates and widespread public manifestations against France’s new Health Pass rules, the French Parliament has now passed a new law governing their use. As we announced last week, the pass is currently required for entry to all cultural venues in France including cinemas, gyms, and museums, as well as all festivals and events with more than 50 people in attendance.

From Sunday August 1^st it will also be required for entrance to all bars, cafes, and restaurants, as well as long-distance buses and trains, visits to hospitals and retirement homes, and entrance to large shopping centres. Businesses not complying with these rules are faced with fines and forced closures (slightly relaxed from the initial proposal for criminal charges and possible imprisonment). All of this will make it much harder for those who are unvaccinated to live and travel in France, however vaccines remain mandatory only for healthcare workers.

For those resident in France, the Pass Sanitaire (Health Pass) is available on France’s TousAntiCovid app — scan the QR code of your vaccination or Covid test certificate to activate it.

Vaccines are now available in France for everyone over the age of 12 and can be booked online at Doctolib or through your médecin traitant.

2. Health Pass Access for US and UK Visitors

Up until last week, France’s Health Pass was only available for those who received their vaccines in France, but the good news is that it is now possible for some foreign travellers to access the app.

For UK residents or those who received their vaccine in the UK, you can now scan your NHS vaccine QR code directly into the French TousAntiCovid app. Note that this only works with the most recent versions of the NHS Covid Pass (those which have two QR codes), so if you don’t have one of these, you will need to download a new one from the NHS app or website. NHS Covid Passes are only valid for 30 days after download, so make sure you scan it before it runs out. If not, don’t worry – you can simply download a new one.

For American travellers, accessing the French Health Pass depends on the vaccine certificate you have received – some have scannable QR codes which may be accepted by the app, but others do not. It is possible to present your American vaccination certificate at a French pharmacy and have them exchange this for a French vaccination certificate (which will then be recognised by the app). However, not all pharmacies will be aware that this can be done and you may run into some difficulties. Rest assured, your American vaccination certificate will be admissible in place of the Health Pass for the time being, and we’ll keep you updated once we know more.

3. Travelling in France: Local Laws and Health Measures

Covid cases numbers have been on the rise in recent weeks and, as both French and overseas travellers head off on holiday, it’s unsurprisingly the country’s coastal regions and tourist hotspots that have been hit the hardest. The map below, published by Le Parisien, shows the surge along the west coast, the Côte d’Azur, and the French islands of Martinique, La Reunion, and Guyane, as well as rising numbers throughout the Alps, Brittany, and Normandy.

While the Health Pass rules will be applied nationally, many local regions of France are also reintroducing health restrictions in an attempt to temper this fourth wave. Cities including Nice, Bordeaux, Lille, Toulouse, Montpellier, and Saint-Malo have all imposed mandatory mask-wearing in outdoor spaces, along with some coastal resorts in the Vendée, Var, Hérault, and other regions. Some departments have also imposed curfews for bars and restaurants, or banned large gatherings and events.

The exact rules and regulations vary greatly depending on the city or region, so it’s important to find out before you visit. The local mairie, regional government Facebook pages, or any tourist establishment will be able to advise you of the applicable laws.

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By Zoë Smith

FrenchEntrée's Digital Editor, Zoë is also a freelance journalist who has written for the Telegraph, HuffPost, and CNN, and a guidebook updater for the Rough Guide to France and Rough Guide to Dordogne & Lot. She lives in the French countryside just outside of Nantes.

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Comments

2021-07-29 11:58:15

Greg Bull

Thanks for this clear info Zoe. I got mine after fidling around with the iphone camera. As you say the UK QR codes have only just been adapted for the app. and apparently still need some work and may not work for some purposes (note there is switch at top and you can choose "border" or "venues"). In theory you should be able to travel with paper certificates (see France Diplomacy, Can I Enter France)...You can enter France test free if you have only 1 jab plus evidence of having recovered from Covid in last 6 months (positive PCR test)...Im not sure the QR code would still work for the app but in theory a paper version should be OK.This should be clarified since so many people are in this situation and waiting 2-3 months for second jab...why ? PS has anyone tried this?

REPLY
2021-07-28 12:38:03

Anneliese Anthony

As a traveler from Canada, what must I present for entry into the country? I have had a Pfizer, followed by a Moderna vaccine. My plans are tentative for early January.

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2021-07-28 10:17:07

jaynie

Exactly! Well said. There's obviously no hope for the zombies that still believe that the scam demic is a pandemic. They've been too brainwashed by the CCP-controlled corporate media to even think, let alone think for themselves or to do any research. ALL the evidence of the scam is out there - Nobel prize-winning virologists, nurses, doctors, lawyers, scientists etc are all exposing it and all are risking their lives in doing so. Yet, the sheep blindly comply with what their criminal, satanic, communist-globalist leaders are telling them??! The Great Reset is in motion and the sheep are being led to the slaughter. Humanity is doomed!

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2021-07-27 07:36:01

julia brownsword

Good information and nice and simple often Gov. sites very complicated

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2021-07-27 07:26:21

Huw Morgan

Hi Zoe. Have you heard the reports that even though the U.K. QR codes allow The U.K. passport to be uploaded to the TousCovid app, the TousCovid verify app that venues are using return a Not Valid response to the U.K. QR code ?

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2021-07-27 06:23:03

John

Your article n the U.K. health passport, does upload to the French Health passport. But does not show ‘valid’. It does show invalid! And is not acceptable by locations needing it! Probably the QR can not identify the person as being ‘proven’! Basically, no go!

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2021-07-27 05:44:54

RIck Dupre’

Absolutely love your column! Thank you for your work and research. Much appreciated.

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