Chinanews, August 9th. According to a report compiled by the "European Times", since August 9th local time, in accordance with the new anti-epidemic law, the use of health passes has been officially expanded to most public places in France.
On the 7th, French Minister of Health Véran announced some flexible measures and reiterated that health passes and vaccinations are to avoid stricter restrictions-curfews or lockdowns.
On August 8, local time, the "Gazette" issued a number of government orders related to the new anti-epidemic law. Among them, the government order No. 2021-1059 listed a list of public places where health passes must be used, including large-scale shopping over 20,000 square meters. Centers, bars and restaurants, medical institutions (except emergency rooms), and places such as trains and airplanes.
For large shopping malls, the previous plan was based on an area of more than 20,000 square meters. Now it is stipulated that the provinces shall decide on the basis of the area, and it must be “in order to ensure that people purchase or obtain necessary goods and services, and take public transportation. Under the premise".
In addition, the time limit for testing required to obtain a health pass has been relaxed from "within 48 hours" to "within 72 hours."
Wei Lang added that from now on, in addition to COVID-19 nucleic acid testing (PCR) and rapid antigen testing, self-tests carried out under the guidance of health professionals will also be recognized, and they will also be "valid for 72 hours."
According to the decree, those who do not present a health pass will be denied entry to a medical institution unless they can provide a formal medical certificate of contraindications to vaccination.
Wei Lang explained that there is no need for a health pass to see a family doctor; a pass is required to go to a hospital, except for emergency treatments. "Under no circumstances should people be restricted from accessing emergency medical services."
In addition, in addition to the public, from August 30 local time, the health pass regulations will also apply to the staff involved in the premises, whether they are staff or volunteers, security, cleaning or maintenance personnel, etc., as long as they work or organize activities. Or the place will be in contact with the public, must hold a pass, but "does not include delivery or emergency services."
If necessary, the governors of the French provinces have the right to reinstate the mask injunction, and public place operators or event organizers can also require participants to wear masks.
Weilang took the overseas provinces with low vaccination rates and severe rebound of the epidemic as an example, admonishing people to strictly abide by the regulations of health passes if they do not want to be curfew or foot restrained again.
At the same time, he said that "300,000 to 400,000 people receive the first dose of vaccine every day", and more than 44 million people have received at least one dose. He is confident that 50 million French people will be vaccinated with at least one dose by the end of August. .
You can enter the venue with a pass without wearing a mask
The "Gazette" announced on August 8 a decree to expand the use of health passes, reiterating that people do not need to wear masks in places where a health pass is required to enter.
Specifically: "The currently implemented regulations that must wear a mask will not apply to those who enter places, service departments and large-scale event sites that need to show a health pass."
This means that from August 9th local time, people do not need to wear masks when entering most public places in restaurants, bars, movie theaters and amusement parks.
Of course, public transportation such as high-speed trains, long-distance buses, and airplanes are exceptions. You must check your health pass and wear a mask.
In theory, masks are still required in commercial centers, unless the governor stipulates that commercial centers in the province must check their health passes due to special epidemic conditions.
In the latter case, the public can choose to wear a mask or not to wear a mask in the commercial center at will.
The decree also stated that “if local conditions require, the governor can require people (in places where health passes are checked) to wear masks; operators of these places can also make this request.”
In addition, employees working in the above-mentioned places must wear masks.
Circular letter from the French Ministry of Justice urges strict crackdown on counterfeiting
From August 9th, local time, measures to expand the use of health passes are being implemented. According to the "Sunday" news, the French government has introduced a series of corresponding penalties for this measure to punish violators.
French Minister of Justice DuPont Moretti issued a circular on the 9th, which stipulated punishment methods.
The circular stated that "using another person's health pass to falsify" was convicted and would be given "effective, deterrent and rapid criminal sanctions."
Theoretically speaking, from the date of implementation of the measures to expand the scope of health passes (9th), penalties will be strengthened, but the French government still hopes to coordinate the principles of "strictness" and "flexibility" and will give a one-week adaptation period.
This period is also the running-in period for the implementation of the measures of the new epidemic prevention bill as previously mentioned by the government spokesman Attar.
The circular stipulates that using someone else’s health pass to falsify will be subject to a fourth-level fine of 750 euros; if the fine is paid within 45 days, the fine will be reduced to 135 euros.
If the offender is repeated, the fine will gradually increase.
Using someone else’s health pass again within 15 days will result in a fine of 1,500 euros.
If you use someone else’s health pass for the third time within a month, you will be fined 3750 euros and sentenced to 6 months in jail.
Medical personnel who have not been vaccinated shall be punished in the same way if they use another person’s health pass.
Failure to strictly perform the inspection obligations will also be punished.
If the business owner does not check the health pass, the business owner will be fined more than 1,000 euros. After three occurrences of this situation, the business owner will be fined 9,000 euros and sentenced to 1 year’s imprisonment. .
At the same time, the company has to be fined 45,000 euros.
The circular also stipulates that medical personnel who provide false health passes can be sentenced to 2-5 years in prison; if they are ganged for fraud, they can be sentenced to 10 years in prison.
According to the weekly "Contemporary Values" website, since the French cultural and entertainment venues checked their health passes on July 21, local time, many cities in France have produced and used fake health passes, especially Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux.
Relevant departments are actively investigating, but currently only one person has been fined for reselling the vaccination certificate.
She is a contract worker for the Basic Medical Insurance Agency of Seine-Saint-Denis (CPAM) and sold nearly 200 fake vaccination certificates.
She was sentenced soon after the incident, with a fine of 10,000 Euros and a one-year imprisonment (executed at home and monitored by electronic monitors).
(Cai Jiayi Lai Rice)