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COVID-19 HEALTH PASS

‘Safer and protected’ – how people in France feel about using the health passport

The weekly protests against France's health passport have grabbed many of the headlines. But away from the roughly 200,000 people on the streets, how does the rest of France feel about using the pass to enter cafés and restaurants?

Published: 3 September 2021 13:10 CEST

'Safer and protected' - how people in France feel about using the health passport

Photo: Bertrand Guay/AFP

Protestors have taken to the streets weekly since the announcement of the health passport, and although turnout has dwindled in recent weeks, last Saturday still saw an estimated 160,000 people take part in hundreds of demos around France.

On the other hand, around 12 million people have had the injection since the announcement of the introduction of the health passport on July 12th.

But how do people feel about using it for daily activities?

We asked our readers in France – both residents and people who had visited over the summer – how the pass was working for them, and their views on it.

An anti health passport demonstration in Toulouse, south west France. Photo by Fred SCHEIBER / AFP

Practicality

The health passport can be presented either on paper or on the TousAntiCovid app and can show one of three things – fully vaccinated status, recent recovery from Covid or a recent negative Covid test.

It must be shown to gain entry to a wide variety of locations including tourist sites, museums, cinemas, long-distance trains, bars and cafés, where venue staff scan the pass with their own app, known as TousAntiCovid verif.

The vast majority of survey respondents reported no problems in using the pass and no issues in getting it scanned at health passport venues.

The majority of respondents used the app and the simple phone-to-phone scan takes just seconds to perform.

Richard Simpson, of Deux-Sevrès in south west France, said: “No problems at all. It’s scanned off my iPhone within seconds of arriving at a café or restaurant.”

Mike Fowler said: “My wife and I are on a two week holiday in Bordeaux and have used the ‘passport’ dozens of times. Never has there been a problem. Well done France!”

Linda Susan Rice, of Bordeaux, added: “It’s been quick and easy and my friends and family from the UK have also found it easy to use.”

Alan Wood, Haute-Vienne, said: “I use the paper format and have had no problems with that.”

Visitors

Of the people who did report problems, most were those who had been vaccinated outside France – either visitors or recent arrivals.

Since its introduction at the end of July, the health passport has undergone several modifications so that it is now compatible with vaccination certificates from England, Wales, the EU and Schengen zone countries.

Those who were vaccinated outside the EU (including Scotland and Northern Ireland which do not use the NHS app) need to apply for a French code in order to use the health passport – here’s how that works.

Holly Dale, in Paris, said: “My main problem was having a paper vaccination certificate (from New Zealand). Finally after two months of trying the latest system has worked and I’ve been able to convert it to a French one.”

Visitor Sarah Blackford said: “I tried to use at it at the hotel we stayed at on our first night in France to book breakfast. My QR code was not known. Our host is a good English speaker but didn’t understand the message to push verify my QR code. At this point he gave up and let us book breakfast. Haven’t dared to use it since.”

But plenty of other visitors – especially from England and Wales – reported more success.

William Noble said: “I have had no problem using it even though my vaccinations were carried out in England. I carry around a printed version and one on the AntiCovid app on my iPhone. If it persuades some of those less inclined to have the vaccination then it is a good thing.”

Feelings

But using something because it’s compulsory is not the same as loving or even supporting it. During the two lockdowns French residents used millions of attestations de déplacement to leave their homes, but it’s probably fair to say that no-one ever got attached to their daily form.

So we also asked people how they feel about the health passport – do they use is begrudgingly, support the general idea or enthusiastically embrace it?

John Walton, who has used it in Clermont, Lyon and Sancerre over the summer declared himself “utterly delighted to be protected!”

Overall, dozens of respondents said the passport made them feel safer.

Stephanie Coffin in Paris said: “I love it. I feel much safer knowing that everyone next to me is either vaccinated or negative.”

Sue Hopkins, in south west France said: “It’s a brilliant idea and makes you feel safer knowing people are fully vaccinated. Haven’t heard anyone complaining about it.”

Paul Griffiths, who lives in the Var département of southern France, said: “I am most strongly in favour of the scheme. Given the widespread reluctance and refusal to vaccinate, for whatever reasons, it is a practical, medical-driven approach to ensuring the safety of the population in general.

“Let the current comparison of vaccination and hospital ICU statistics speak for itself. In my personal circle (French & anglophone), the majority of the people I know are vaccinated and ‘passport-happy’, a small number continue to prevaricate about being vaccinated, and I have not directly encountered anyone complaining about having to use the passport.”

Justin Pace in Paris said: “Let’s not sugarcoat this. We are in a global health crisis. Period. If you look at other pandemic examples related to vaccine rollout and adhering to protocol set by governments, there has been less of an issue. The issue rests with media profiting off of fear and false information and the politicians that also profit off of this.

“Should the government have full control of its citizens? No. Is it entering into a dystopian world? Yes. Do I agree with what France is doing by making the health passport mandatory for activities, meaning that selfish people who wouldn’t get the vaccine before are now having to get it? Yes 100 percent.”

Dora Biloux in south of France said: “I never thought I’d be a person being okay with a tracking system by the government. But. This is a pandemic.

“If it weren’t for the health passport, we would have had so much less freedom, more stress, more aggression in society even. It’s a pity though that often the hospitality staff is grumpy/uncomfortable about having to ask for your pass. The rare occasions where staff was light and jokey about it were a treat. I guess they, and all of us, will have to get used to it because I don’t see that this is going away in the coming couple of years.”

Just one respondent told us that they had not used the health passport and would refuse to do so.

Vaccination rates

We also asked readers if the health passport had made any difference to their vaccination status, since one of the stated aims of the pass was to boost vaccination rates by making pleasurable activities like drinking in a café with friends inconvenient for the unvaccinated.

Of those who replied, 94 percent were fully vaccinated before the pass came in.

Among the others, 3.5 percent said they got vaccinated after the pass came in, but had been planning to do so anyway, one percent said that passport had pushed them to get vaccinated and 1.5 percent said they were unvaccinated and intended to remain so.

France opened up vaccination to all adults from May 31st, and to the 12-18 age group from June 15th. The booster shot programme for over 65s and those in high risk groups opened on September 1st.

Many thanks to everyone who took the time to fill in our survey and share their views and experiences.

Member comments

Anonymous - 3 September 2021 at 17:36 CEST

According to the survey results , only1% were persuaded to get vaccinated by the introduction of the pass. Since, according to the Govt the whole raison d’etre of the pass was to force the unvaccinated to get vaccinated it looks as though that particular glass ceiling has yet to crack.
1. Anonymous - 13 September 2021 at 16:16 CEST
  
  And in December 2020, only 40% in a survey said they were willing to be vaccinated. Today, according to the TousAntiCovid app, 80% have been FULLY-vaccinated. And your point about surveys is….?
  
  In the week after the announcement, about 4 million people signed up to be vaccinated; at that time, the sign-up rate had been falling and the weekly rate was much much lower. The trend graphs in the app show the rate has been more-or-constant (at around 0,5 million per week (eyeballed estimate, 1st jab)) for at least the past two weeks.
  
  There’s still work to do, such as getting the 20% or so who still haven’t been vaccinated vaccinated (which is nowheres near as bad as the 60% who’d said they wouldn’t be vaccinated), and, eventually, vaccinating children (once the vaccines are authorised-for, and available-to, children).
  
  And as an aside, WHAT survey (“only 1% were persuaded to get vaccinated by the introduction of the pass”)? Some quick searching, albeit in English, has failed to find any such claim.
Anonymous - 5 September 2021 at 22:24 CEST

The numbers tell the story. Since Macron started the program , cases and deaths have dropped dramatically, even as they go up in the rest of the world. If only the US had such wisdom and courage.

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Vaccine pass for visitors in France - your questions answered

Bars and cafés are among the French venues that require a vaccine pass. Photo: Sameer Al Doumy/AFP

Since January 24th, France has put in place a vaccine pass which is required to enter a wide range of venues including bars, cafés, restaurants, gyms, leisure centres, cinemas, theatres, museums, large events and long-distance trains.

In short, if you intend to spend time in France, you are going to need one if you want to do anything fun.

Previously a health pass was in place, which allowed for either proof of vaccination or a recent negative test, but from January 24th negative tests are no longer accepted for anyone aged 16 and older.

You can find more details on how the pass works HERE, but there are some issues which particularly affect tourists, visitors or people vaccinated outside France.

Do I need a vaccine pass to enter France?

No. When the French government talks about the vaccine pass, they mean the domestic pass required to access everyday activities in France.

Depending on where you are travelling from, you may need to show proof of vaccination at the border, but this can be a vaccination certificate from your home country.

Once you’re in France, however, you will most likely need the pass.

How do I get a vaccine pass?

The vaccine pass isn’t a physical document, it just means that you need to show proof of either vaccination, recent recovery from Covid or a medical exemption in order to enter certain venues (more on those below).

Importantly, however, these documents must have a French QR code so that staff in venues can scan them.

Most people use the TousAntiCovid app, which is available on all smartphones and has an option in English, but you can show paper certificates if you prefer.

If you are travelling from an EU or Schengen zone country you can use your own country’s domestic health/vaccine pass, since all QR codes are compatible within the bloc.

I had a health pass when I came to France in the summer, is the vaccine pass the same thing?

In effect, yes. The health pass required either proof of vaccination, proof of recent recovery from Covid or proof of a recent negative Covid test and most people used the TousAntiCovid app to show this (although you can also show paper certificates).

The vaccine pass doesn’t allow presentation of a negative test result, but in most other respects is the same, so if you have proof of full vaccination, nothing changes for you. Apart, that is, from boosters . . .

Do I need a booster shot to use the vaccine pass?

Probably, yes.

It depends on when you were vaccinated, but over 18s who have not had a booster more than seven months after their second dose are no longer counted as fully vaccinated.

From February 15th, this window shrinks to four months.

If you have had the booster, it doesn’t matter if the gap between second dose and booster was longer than four or seven months, this concerns only those who have not received a booster shot.

The booster requirement applies to all vaccine pass users, including visitors.

However boosters are not required for travel, so in brief you can enter France without a booster, but you won’t be able to do much once you’re here.

Full details on who needs a booster HERE.

Will my vaccination certificate/booster shot certificate work with the French pass?

It depends on where you were vaccinated.

If you were vaccinated in the EU, Schengen zone or UK then you can scan the QR code on your vaccination certificate straight into the French app. This is also the case if you previously had a health pass and need to add a booster shot in order to keep it valid.

If, however, you were vaccinated in the USA, Canada, Australia or any other non EU/UK/Schengen country then things are a little more complicated. Once in France, you will have to take your vaccination certificate to an approved pharmacy in order to get a QR code that can be used with the French app. Full details HERE.

A vaccination certificate from your home country will be accepted at the border.

I’m not vaccinated but I have recently recovered from Covid, can I use the pass?

The vaccine pass requires one of three things; proof of full Covid vaccination, proof of recent recovery from Covid or proof of a medical exemption (more on that below).

However, the proof of recent recovery must be in an accepted format.

You can find full details on that here, but again it depends on where you tested positive for Covid. If it was in the EU, UK or Schengen zone then you should be able to upload your positive Covid test to the French app. The test must be more than 11 days old, but less than six months old in order to be valid.

If you tested positive outside the EU, you may have a problem. Some countries provide positive tests in a format recognised by France but others – including the USA – do not.

You can find full details of compatible codes HERE.

I had Covid before I could get a booster, what should I do?

If you want to use proof of recent recovery from Covid instead of a booster shot, then it’s the same process as outlined above.

I can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons, what can I do?

France does provide an option for medical exemptions, but the process is so complicated as to be virtually inaccessible to people who are just visiting France.

In order to use the medical exemption clause, you require a French certificat de contre-indication, and getting one of these is not easy.

First you must fit the criteria of listed medical conditions which constitute an acceptable reason not to be vaccinated – and that is a short list.

Then you need a certificate from a French doctor stating that you cannot be vaccinated, certificates from doctors outside France are not accepted.

Once you have the certificate you need to send it to Assurance Maladie – the French state health insurer – which validates the certificate and issues you with a QR code that can be used with the vaccine pass. French residents can use an online process to send their certificate to Assurance Maladie, but this requires a French social security number.

Where can I go without a vaccine pass?

The theory behind the vaccine pass is that people can do the essentials of daily life without it, but anything fun requires the pass.

It is not required for shops, short-distance transport or city public transport such as the Paris Metro, most workplaces, parks, beaches and outdoor gyms or when buying food or drink to take out.

It is required for; ski lifts, bars, restaurants, cafés, cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries, tourist sites (including outdoor sites), gyms, leisure centres, sports grounds, concerts, nightclubs (when they reopen), large events like festivals or long-distance train travel.

Are there any exemptions?

There are a couple of exemptions where a negative Covid test, taken within the previous 24 hours, is accepted instead of a vaccine pass.

If you need to travel on a long-distance train and have “imperative reasons of a family or health nature” such as going to visit a dying relative – you would need to present some proof of this.
A vaccine pass is required to access non-emergency medical treatment or to visit a medical or social establishment (such as a nursing home). If you do not have a vaccine pass you can use a negative test instead. Emergency medical treatment does not require a vaccine pass or a Covid test.

What about children?

A vaccine pass is required for anyone aged 16 or above.
Children aged between 12 and 15 are required to use the health pass, in which a negative Covid test no more than 24 hours is accepted for those who are not fully vaccinated.
Under 12s do not require any type of pass.

The definition of fully vaccinated for children is the same as for adults; to be at least seven days after two doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna vaccines or 28 days after a Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Booster shots are not required for under 18s.

For children travelling from countries that have only recently started offering vaccinations to under 18s, or that only offer a single shot of Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna, this creates a problem as the children are unvaccinated by the French definition and face daily Covid tests in order to keep the health pass.

Do all these venues really check the pass?

Staff at any of the listed vaccine pass venues are supposed to check the pass on entry, but as ever in life, compliance is not 100 percent.

The majority of places do check, especially in the cities, but it can be variable. We’ve also heard anecdotal accounts of staff accepting non-French vaccination certificates, especially the American CDC cards, but be aware that this is not official policy.

It’s probably best not to chance it on a train – guards can remove you from the train at the next stop if you are found to be travelling without a valid pass.

And if you’re tempted to use someone else’s pass in order to gain access to a bar/café etc then we would strongly advise against this – that is vaccine pass fraud and there are very stiff penalties in place for this, including jail time.

Do you have a question on vaccine passes that is not covered here? Email us on [email protected] and we will do our best to answer it.

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