France Requires Its Citizens To Show 'COVID-19 Free Tickets' For Cafe Access To Healthcare

Illustration of a queue at a vaccination center in France. (Wikimedia Commons/Claude Truong-Ngoc)

JAKARTA - The French authorities began enforcing the provision of COVID-19 free tickets, for citizens who want to access public places such as restaurants and cafes, although many still ignore it.

Quoted from Reuters, proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test contained in the health card, being a COVID-19 free ticket is stored in digital form with QR code access held by the data owner.

The QR code must be shown to eat in a restaurant, drink at a bar, access non-emergency care at a hospital, or travel by intercity train, part of the government's efforts to contain the fourth wave of infections.

Last month, President Emanuel Macron issued an order requiring all citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19. On one hand, this was responded positively by a surge in demand for vaccinations, from residents who were afraid that they would not be able to access public facilities. On the other hand, this policy caused protests.

"It's simple, we've downloaded the app, so we scan the client's QR code, and if it's valid, they can sign in. And if it's invalid, we can't serve them", explains Romain Dicrescenzo, manager of the Paris Vrai Cafe in the Montmartre district.

Romain added that he had expelled dozens of people, some of whom had forgotten permission as well as those who had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, from entering the cafe he runs.

Cafe and bar owners caught breaking the rules face a warning followed by a 7-day shutdown order in a second violation. Two further offenses can result in a one-year prison sentence.

Illustration of a COVID-19 vaccination in France. (Wikimedia Commons/Claude Truong-Ngoc)

Unfortunately, this policy has not been fully supported by restaurant and cafe owners, with five out of ten owners refusing to enforce the health screening provisions.

In response to this, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the police would take persuasive steps at the outset to address this issue. Meanwhile, opponents of the permit say it violates their freedom and discriminates against those who don't want a COVID vaccine.

Ministry of Health data shows that nine out of every 10 COVID patients treated in intensive care units at the end of July had not been vaccinated. Meanwhile, the majority of French people support health permits, according to the survey.

Health clearance checks were also carried out at Paris' Gare de Lyon station. Train checks will be carried out at random and carried out on one in every four long-distance trains on Monday, the French Ministry of Transport said.

Last month, French authorities tightened conditions for accessing public facilities, along with the country's fourth wave of COVID-19, dominated by the Delta variant.

In an interview with TF1 television, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said Wednesday that major steps are taken to tackle the country's fourth wave of infections had been completed by a government cabinet meeting.

"We are in the fourth wave. Delta variant is the most, more contagious", said PM Castex.

In its announcement on July 19, the French Government adjusted a number of policies related to the fourth wave of COVID-19. These include the obligation to show health documents such as vaccine certificates and negative COVID-19 test results in the near future in various public places, to requiring vaccinations for health workers.

Managers of public facilities who do not pay attention to the issue of vaccine certificates or negative results of COVID-19 tests for consumers will be subject to fines starting from 1.500 euros. The value will increase progressively for repeated violations.

Health documents are required in public places such as cinemas, bars, restaurants, including for hospitals, as well as long-distance train and airplane travel. Visitors to museums, cinemas, or swimming pools in France will be denied entry from today if they are unable to present documents proving that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination or have had a recent negative test.

Health cards, previously only required for large-scale festivals or to go clubbing, will also be required from early August to enter restaurants and bars and for long-distance train and plane travel, as authorities try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The new rules took the French by surprise.