Paris (AFP)
Contested in the street but essentially validated by the Constitutional Council, the extended health pass comes into force on Monday and will punctuate the daily life of the French to fight against the Covid-19 epidemic which continues to flare up.
Bars, restaurants, cinemas, theaters, hospitals, long-distance trains ... Everywhere from now on, it will be necessary to show a white paw, including to drink a simple coffee on the terrace.
To allow professionals, in charge of controls at the entrance of their establishments, to "appropriate" this new tool, which takes the form of a QR code, there will be a week of tolerance and lapping, announced the 'executive.
According to Public Health France, critical care welcomed 1,510 patients on Saturday against 1,099 a week ago.
The number of hospitalizations rose to 8,425 against 8,368 on Friday.
"We want to avoid having to close cinemas, museums, restaurants or cafes, as we had to do during the three previous waves," said Labor Minister Elisabeth Borne in the JDD.
"The pass and the progress of the vaccination should prevent us from further curfews and confinements," added the Minister of Health Olivier Véran in Le Parisien on Sunday.
Several texts, decrees and orders, published Sunday in the Official Journal provide practical details on the application of the pass, required in places of culture since July 21.
Demonstration against the health pass and compulsory vaccination of caregivers on August 7, 2021 in Brest Fred TANNEAU AFP
To be valid, the pass, already in force in several European countries, must show a complete vaccination schedule, recovery from the disease or a negative test dating "less than 72 hours".
The validity period of a test, initially set at 48 hours, has therefore been extended.
Another relaxation: it will be possible to perform self-tests supervised by a health professional, in addition to antigen and PCR tests.
- "Antivax magma" -
The pass, which will also be required to access stores and shopping centers larger than 20,000 m2, will not be requested for a visit to a general practitioner.
On the other hand, it will be in hospitals, "but in no case should it be a barrier to accessing useful and urgent care," recalls Mr. Véran.
These new provisions come into force while the mobilization against the pass and compulsory vaccination for caregivers has again progressed in France on Saturday, for the fourth consecutive weekend.
Demonstration against the health pass and compulsory vaccination of caregivers on August 7, 2021 in Mulhouse SEBASTIEN BOZON AFP
Some 237,000 people, including 17,000 in Paris, marched peacefully, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior.
A good part of the demonstrators dispute the imposition of the pass, a "disguised vaccination obligation" according to them.
They consider the constraint disproportionate and are particularly concerned that an employer may suspend the employment contract of an employee without a valid pass.
In the government, we tirelessly refer to the number of vaccinated, which far exceeds the number of demonstrators.
The Minister of Health Olivier Véran on July 7, 2021 in Paris Bertrand GUAY POOL / AFP / Archives
"The face of France which is fighting is that of the millions of French people who respected barrier gestures, paid attention to their loved ones, were vaccinated. And about which we speak much less, alas, than the magma of anti-tax, anti-science, anti-State (...) I am willing to hear the fears, do everything to reassure. But at one point, that's enough, "said Mr. Véran.
As of Saturday, 44.6 million people had received at least one injection (or 66.2% of the total population) and 37 million have a complete vaccination schedule (or 55.1% of the total population).
Within the executive, confident that the goal of 50 million first-time vaccinated by the end of August has been reached, it is said that Emmanuel Macron's speech on July 12 gave a boost to the campaign .
Since then, there have been more than 6.8 million appointments made for a first-time injection, insists those around him.
Coronavirus: the situation in France Simon MALFATTO AFP
This week, the head of state split twelve videos on social networks, viewed more than 60 million times, to answer the questions of the French and call them to be vaccinated.
On Wednesday, he will chair a Health Defense Council by videoconference where it will notably be a question of the injection of a third dose of vaccine to the most vulnerable people at the start of the school year.
© 2021 AFP