Rest assured, this is not a “state of emergency project” against Covid-19. There is therefore no question of a return to the vaccination pass inside France, nor of a continuation of the state of emergency, which should end on July 31, 2022. This Wednesday, the the National Assembly’s law commission was studying the bill on health security before its passage in the National Assembly on July 11. With the appearance of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, the government is forced to discuss “minimal but necessary” measures to contain the epidemic.
The text of the bill, which contains two articles, first provides for the maintenance of “crisis information systems” until January 31, 2023. Concretely, the national digital screening files, which are Contact Covid and SI-DEP would remain in force in order to facilitate the feedback of information from caregivers to the health authorities during epidemic peaks.
Return of border controls?
Another measure, that of article 2, more important: to allow the government to impose a health pass on people aged over 12, who enter or leave French territory. It would therefore be necessary to show proof of screening when crossing the border: negative test certificate of less than 24 hours, certificate of contraindication to vaccination, recovery of at least 11 days and up to 6 months, or even vaccination schedule complete.
These measures would also concern people traveling between the mainland and Corsica, as well as between mainland France and the Overseas Territories. The health situation has intensified since the beginning of June, with an average of more than 117,000 cases during the last 7 days against 80,000 the previous week. Faced with a virus that is circulating more and more quickly, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has just decreed the return of wearing a mask inside public transport in his municipality from Monday July 11.
Compromises found
The text has already undergone several adjustments before its arrival in the National Assembly. Originally, the deadline initially set in the text provided for maintaining the devices debated until March 31, 2023. On Monday, the opposition managed to reduce this deadline by two months. “You no longer have an absolute majority, you need reasonable methods of co-construction of the law” reacted the LR deputies, Raphaël Schellenberger and Philippe Gosselin. The Macronist deputies retorted by stressing the need to “step over winter” in the face of the virus, which knows itself to be tougher at this time of year.
As a compromise, the date of January 31, 2023 was therefore found with a summons from the Ministry of Health halfway through. MP LR Philipe Gosselin thus hailed a “change in attitude of the majority and very significant progress”. Same story on the left side: “Hooray we have parleyed” noted the communist Elsa Faucillon. “For the first time, we discussed, wouah” welcomed the Insoumis Ugo Bernalicis.
Several other proposals were not accepted, such as reserving the health pass for adults. The National Gathering also demanded that personnel involved in transport be exempt from a health pass. These amendments were rejected and the text was validated by the law commission. Appointment is therefore made on July 11.