Europe 1 with AFP 8:24 p.m., December 29, 2021

A "tidal wave" with a record of more than 200,000 Covid-19 contaminations in 24 hours: Olivier Véran brandished Wednesday in front of the deputies these "figures which make you dizzy" to defend the bill aimed at transforming the health pass in vaccination pass.

The government is accelerating its schedule as France records contamination records with 208,000 new cases this Wednesday, after around 180,000 cases the day before.

"We are facing two enemies", Delta which has not said its last word, and "the Omicron variant", which is causing a "tidal wave", the Minister of Health stressed before the Law Commission of the Assembly. 

10% of the population is in contact 

As echoed, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the "tsunami" of Covid-19 cases is straining health systems, already on the brink of "collapse".

Olivier Véran specified, in view of the English example, that if hospitalizations due to Omicron could be "down from 50 to 70%" and "shorter", remains that with a very contagious variant, "the impact health is felt ".

"More than a million French people are currently positive for the coronavirus" and "10% of the French population is in contact", insisted the minister.

And the unvaccinated are "unlikely to pass between the drops, the virus circulates too much", he warned, calling them, the voice deep, to adopt the vaccine pass, which is to come into force on January 15.

The MPs began to review 250 amendments at the end of the afternoon.

The elected LFI but also some LR and an LREM, Pacôme Rupin, against the tide, sought in vain to remove Article 1 creating the vaccine pass.

"A negative test will not be enough"

Against the opinion of the LREM rapporteur, the deputies voted to adapt the gauges in the stadiums and halls, in proportion to their reception capacity.

But the measure may not remain in session.

The bill must be discussed on Monday in the hemicycle of the Palais Bourbon, then in the Senate on Wednesday January 5.

In the meantime, the government has taken further steps.

The nightclubs, closed on December 10 for a month, will keep their doors closed for three more weeks in January, announced Minister Delegate Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, promising new aid.

At this stage, the bill transforms the health pass into a vaccination pass "for access to leisure activities, restaurants and drinking establishments, fairs, seminars and trade shows or even interregional transport", in particular rail.

It will therefore be necessary to justify a complete vaccination cycle.

"A negative test will no longer suffice", the Prime Minister summed up on Monday, except for access to health and medico-social establishments and services ", which the Council of State would like to see also extended to" compelling reasons of a family nature " .

In its opinion, the highest administrative court notes that the vaccination pass "is likely to infringe particularly strong freedoms".

Increased sanctions

The government also proposes to reserve the possibility of requiring "cumulative supporting documents", that is to say a negative test in addition to a vaccination certificate, when "the interest of public health and the state of the sanitary situation "would justify it.

Monday, Jean Castex, "scandalized" by the fake health passes, confirmed that the managers of establishments open to the public "will have the possibility, in case of proven doubt, to verify their identities themselves".

An increase in penalties is foreseen in the bill.

Presenting a pass belonging to another person or transmitting a pass to another with a view to its fraudulent use will be punished by a fixed fine of 1,000 euros against 135 euros currently.

And the possession of a false pass will be punished by five years' imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros.

An amendment allowing administrative fines to be imposed on companies reluctant to set up teleworking, at least three days a week where possible, will also be proposed by the government.

Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon against the vaccine pass

It also provides for Monday an amendment on "repentance", that is to say people holding false passes and wanting to be vaccinated: "the stake" is that "nobody is deprived of vaccine", indicated Mr. Véran.

Several opposition officials criticized the vaccination pass, Marine Le Pen (RN) and Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI) in the lead, citing "a disguised vaccination obligation" and an "inapplicable measure".

The PS group, on the other hand, will vote "in principle" for the vaccination pass, like the majority of LR deputies.