Covid: a negative test soon to be required in addition to the vaccinal pass to access some venues in France?

What restrictions is the French government about to instate to curb the 5^th wave and the swift spread of the Omicron variant in the country? The executive is to meet this Monday December 27 for an extraordinary Council of Ministers to present the bill transforming the health pass into a vaccinal pass. It will be assessed by the National Assembly on Wednesday December 29, before it could be eventually instated from January 15^th.

Browsed by the AFP, the text plans the transformation of the health pass into a vaccinal pass “for access to leisure activities, restaurants, bars, fairs, seminars and business shows, or even interregional means of transport”.
But according to Le Parisien, the bill could include a few surprises. Therefore, in the fore-project, the government is considering the possibility of requiring “a combination of certificates” when “the public health interest and the health situation” require. In concrete terms, it means a negative Covid-19 tests could be compulsory to access some places open to the public in addition to the vaccinal pass.

Reached out by Le Parisien, the health minister confirmed to be willing to “plan” the measure in the bill. Yet, at this stage, we do not know what places could be involved in the eventual compulsory presentation of a negative test. According to epidemiologist and director of the Geneva global health institute Antoine Flahault, “bars, restaurants, nightclubs, gyms, trains for at least 3 hours” will be involved. As for Yvelines LREM deputy and head of the bill commission Yaël Braun-Pivet, she considers this measure could apply to “travelers”. “As far as I know, these are not daily life places. […] To go to a venue such as a café, you need a vaccinal pass”, she told Sud Radio this Friday December 24.

• To be read
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This possible measure – likely to spark debate – already is instated in some neighboring EU countries. This is the case in Germany instating a negative test in addition to the vaccinal pass in some places with a “2G+” sign, namely theaters, movie theaters or even some sport events.