「COVID-19」Mandatory vaccination in France: a worldwide issue

This week, I will discuss a sensitive - may be controversial? - but a necessary topic. 

Obviously, we have to deal every day with COVID-19 related news and getting to be tired of it.                                                                                    Coronavirus cases are massively increasing in some countries and this continues to affect our lives. Most of us are hoping that after inoculation, things will get easier and better. In the same way, a bigger issue is happening.

Sanitary passport

The French government has adopted a sanitary pass (also called a digital green certificate, a QR code) on the 9th of June, which has been strengthened all along July and became European.

Briefly, the pass requires one of the 3 documents to scan on the TousAntiCovid app :

• A vaccination certificate against Covid-19
• A negative PCR test or antigenic test less than 48 hours old
• A certificate of reinstatement
The result of a positive RT-PCR or antigenic test attesting to the recovery of Covid-19, at least 15 days old and less than 6 months old.

Since the 20th of July, this certificate is required for gatherings, events but also for coffee shops, restaurants, medical offices, and transportation means such as trains, buses, or planes.

But on top of it, law bills have been voted: a prison sentence can be applied for people who go to the places above without a QR code. Also, hospital workers will be fired or continue to work with UNPAID salaries if no vaccinated. CEO and bosses of companies can also decide to pay you or not if you do not inoculate. Yes, that is undemocratic.

The TousAntiCovid app is available here.

French people living outside Europe & foreigners

What about foreigners visiting France? And French nationals going back home for a few days' vacations?

Even if vaccinated abroad, there is no way to get an official QR code available for the pass (unless you do a PCR test 48h before) if you have been vaccinated outside of Europe. 

Basically, you are able to come to France, but no possibility to go for a drink, to visit museums or even take the train to move to another city. Crazy, isn't it?

If you speak French, you may be able to negotiate with a vaccination center or pharmacies/drugstores to "transform" your abroad vaccination ticket into an official European pass, but still a long and troublesome process...

To sum up, if coming from abroad, your trip to France may be quite difficult to enjoy, and probably in other European countries soon.

Of course, this decision will definitely impact the economic situation - which is critical at this point - by establishments closure, bankruptcy, and other consequences.

Which solution?

Some countries such as Italy want to adopt the pass, some others like Russia gave up the draft law. As governments are focused on after corona and curbing pandemia, some silly decisions are taken without thinking properly.

Will this vaccination passport be mandatory everywhere in the world ? Since Japan releases its own vaccination travel certificate, will it become national then? 

French society is now divided in so many ways: many protests have been organized against this pass, half of the French population (even more) is against this law. Legal discrimination has been settled, and this may be only the beginning of a new era.