Deputies and senators managed to agree, Thursday, July 21, 2022, on the content of the bill extending certain measures for managing the health crisis, the termination of which was initially scheduled for the end of the month.
The maintenance of the SI-Dep databases (for the results of virological tests) and Contact Covid, validated by the deputies at first reading, had also been confirmed by the senators overnight from Wednesday to Thursday. The retention of this information by the State makes it possible in particular to facilitate travel to Europe when the country of destination requests proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19.
However, the senators voted for two measures absent from the text adopted by the National Assembly: the possibility left to the government to reestablish a virological test control on entry into the national territory (with a specific provision for overseas territories) and that of reintegrate unvaccinated caregivers if the High Authority for Health (HAS) gives its consent.
Gathered during a joint joint commission, in the afternoon of Thursday, the parliamentarians therefore validated these changes, drafted in the Senate by the elected representative of the Channel and rapporteur of the text, Philippe Bas. The version of the text adopted by the body, which brings together seven deputies and seven senators of different sensitivities, must now pass once again before the Assembly, for a vote without further examination, scheduled for Monday, then in the Senate, Tuesday, for be definitively adopted… unless the delay in the ongoing debates on purchasing power and the amending finance bill, which are due to end on Saturday evening, upsets the legislative calendar.
Reintegration of caregivers and test control at borders
The government had hitherto been opposed to any reinstatement of unvaccinated caregivers, but the condition of HAS’s approval led the Minister of Health, François Braun, to qualify before the senators the measure of“balanced”. Mr. Braun announced that these caregivers numbered 2,605 in the health sector.
“We are creating a path to reintegration”explained to the Senate Mr. Bas, for whom “the decision must be medical, it will be”. According to the rapporteur’s proposal, the vaccination obligation for caregivers will be suspended as soon as the HAS deems that it is no longer justified, and non-vaccinated caregivers will then be “immediately reinstated”.
The government also welcomed the return of test controls, a central measure for the executive which had been rejected by the elected representatives of the National Rally, the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes) and part of the Republicans in the ‘National Assembly.
This new measure is available in two distinct devices. The first concerns travelers from foreign countries. In the event of the appearance of a new variant of particularly dangerous SARS-CoV-2, the government could impose the presentation of a negative test on boarding to France. Philippe Bas called this device “travel health certificate” to differentiate it from the health pass – which also includes the vaccination and recovery certificate.
Activated by decree by the executive, this first device could last a month, a vote of Parliament being necessary in the event of a wish for an extension. A second device, similar to the first, could apply for trips to overseas communities “in case of risk of saturation” of their health system. On the initiative of Philippe Bonnecarrère (centrist) and Thani Mohamed Soilihi (Rally of Democrats, Progressives and Independents, La République en Marche) the possibility of a check was introduced for people from overseas communities.