France pulls out the big guns!

[NotPregnantJustChubs]

I live in France and Macron has just made a speech saying that from the end of July, vaccination or a negative test is going to be compulsory for cultural and entertainment venues. From August, it’ll be compulsory for cafes and restaurants too. This applies to all 12+.

PCR tests will become paid as of September, to encourage vaccination.

I’m already vaccinated, thankfully, and I do think it’s necessary to contain the delta variant. But wowza, I’m waiting to hear the backlash in the morning. Macron is up for reelection next year as well, they must be very desperate to contain this…

@KatharinaRosalie

Agreed, my first thought in hearing that Doctolib has crashed under the weight of those seeking appointments was “lazy bastards getting off their arses at last”!

As I understand PCR tests are valid for 72 hours and antigen for 48 hrs. The latter can be done in a pharmacie with results given in 10-15 minutes. The latter require a rdv.

Yes there will be medical exemptions- c’mon this is France! They will have to be certified though, self declaration wouldn’t be acceptable. It might be that that the exempt have to have a negative test and they will automatically be reimbursed rather than being totally exempt from the restrictions.

Oops should be that the former (PCR) need a rdv.

I hate all this interim "You can go somewhere if you pay thousands of pounds and jump through loads of bureaucratic hoops." Should be either you can go, or you can't. It's really inequitable, and also put the risk onto individual consumers to either lose their holiday or pay thousands of pounds extra.

Oh right so on holiday you’d go every 72 or 48 hours

What’s an rdv?

With regards to children and the vaccine, here is a link from the BMJ.
There is no clear-cut answer, but personally, I am not sure rushing our children to the vaccination centre is the answer. But that's just me and I'm in no mood for a bun fight over it.

A worthy read:

www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1687

British residents returning to Britain don't need to quarantine (or do all the extra tests) if they are double vaccinated - though you still need a negative test to get back in the country. Tests are still free here for the moment and there are tents outside nearly every pharmacy where you can get one (this is what my kids - now double vaccinated - were doing every time they want to do a group activity or, in the case of French friends, attend family gatherings).

Interesting how this will pan out. I'm sure France are only recommending the vaccine for pregnant women over 35 or with preexisting health problems.

They also won't give it in the first trimester and pharmacy's are allowed to make their own judgement and turn you way if you're pregnant.

So if you live in France, are pregnant and can't get vaccinated (or don't want to go against the guidance). Do you have pay for tests?

I'm not having a go at the French government per se, but all governments are going to have to decide PDQ what the fuck is going to happen with travel in school holidays and not have all this confusion and constant testing for teenagers, unless it's free and can be done quickly. Or that they don't want people to travel at all. Or it's going to be a total administrative balls-up in a couple of weeks' time.

I can't wait for it to go live in Ireland. We've had the longest and most stringent lockdowns and if showing a QR code on my phone lets life return to normal I'm all for it.

@MarshaBradyo

Oh right so on holiday you’d go every 72 or 48 hours

What’s an rdv?

rendezvous/appointment

I am sure there will be some exceptions - and this being France there will be a formal attestation or certificate medical to show that you are properly exempt - it's just that anti-vax sentiments and not being arsed will not be acceptable reasons.

Should be either you can go, or you can't. It's really inequitable, and also put the risk onto individual consumers to either lose their holiday or pay thousands of pounds extra.

I guess the travel and hospitality industries are glad of it though. Tourist spend benefits a lot of people and a lot of communities.

Re some of the above comments about free testing…

There is now supposed to a charge for tests for those not registered in the French healthcare system….

@IRanSoFarAway1 - I was talking specifically about travel between Britain and France where it's one rule for vaccinated British residents entering the UK and another for vaccinated Brits living in France.

The world seems to get darker each day over these vaccines. The French will not take this lightly, Macron made a very risky move in that speech.

They must be expecting Delta to be horrendous come the autumn, perhaps that explains why our gov have given up on trying to contain it? We’ll just have a full lockdown if it turns into an inferno as a last resort.

God help us all.

@Thewiseoneincognito

I think Veran described it as a “bulldozer” so yes, I’d say they are worried, especially looking at the numbers in the U.K.

The French will not take this lightly I don't agree - in fact the overwhelming rush to book vaccines after his speech suggests it is already having the desired effect. My observation is that if you tell the French they have to do something they will do it - they might moan about it, but they will comply. We've already seen this with mask wearing. Personally I found it reassuring to see Macron having the courage of his convictions to make a decision - the complete opposite of Johnson's airy-fairy whiffling of the previous day which left most of the population entirely unclear as to what they were being advised to do. We all stayed in to protect the vulnerable and to stop the health service being over-whelmed before the vaccines, now we're being asked to protect ourselves and stop the health service being over-whelmed by getting vaccinated. Just do it - and if you don't want to do it then prove you are not a risk to anyone by paying to get tested when required.

@EileenGC Has it helped reduce the curve of new infections in Germany - and what do people living there think?

Do they feel they are being better protected than elsewhere? (e.g. UK)

Don't agree with tests having to be paid for either LFT or PCR.

Just means some people won't do them/won't be able to afford to do them. Short sighted.

Yes, we are looking at UK numbers and wondering how it's logical for the government to go 'Yay, record numbers, perfect time to cancel all restrictions and measures!'

Is the UK the only nation relying on accuracy of lateral flow tests.

Heard Germany have more child friendly covid tests.

I don't think Ireland have done that well.

As for France my understanding is thier 1st lockdown was stict thye had carry papers and their healthcare was overwhelmed and they flew patient to other country's.
However 2nd wave pre xmas and January thier deaths shot up,their vaccination schedule was behind and that macron sees himself as some amateur epidemiologist and refused to lockdown when maybe they should have done.
Even then it was different to UK people could mix in private homes and they introduce curfew.
I imagined French hospitality and tourism sector be quite nervous about this announcement.
Plenty of brits go France on holiday not sure as many as Spain, Greece or Portugal but a fair few.

Random question would flying Gibraltar be same rules as UK and similar weather to Spain how come Gibraltar doesn't have massive tourism sector?

Also how does French healthcare work does everyone have French insurance?

@KatharinaRosalie

Yes, we are looking at UK numbers and wondering how it's logical for the government to go 'Yay, record numbers, perfect time to cancel all restrictions and measures!'

Can’t you see the difference in vaccination rates?

Obviously your government is concerned it’s too low for delta which will rise.

Can’t you see the difference in vaccination rates?

So you are saying the cases in the UK are not increasing?

@VoiceFaceArse it really isn't the same at all. The sheer scale of the pandemic means the impact of not vaccinating is huge. Macron is doing absolutely the right thing, even though it may well lose him the election.
It is deeply selfish and socially irresponsible not to have the vaccine if you are able to. You are putting all those who can't be vaccinated at far greater risk, and making vaccine escape more likely.
My mind is boggled by the anti vax and can't be bothered brigade.

The world seems to get darker each day over these vaccines. The French will not take this lightly, Macron made a very risky move in that speech.

I’d think Lillian upthread is right, there’s a different culture here and i5 can be quite misleading to see these measures from an Anglocentric POV-if that’s what it is

General feeling here ATM from what I have seen is that we sure as heck don’t want to see cases rising the way they already are in the UK but we’re guessing it’s fairly inevitable. It’s been possible throughout all this to get to see a GP within a day or two, certainly locally, and in this house hold follow up care for one or two long term health issues have been uneffected…hospital appointments have run as scheduled…..we’d like that to continue if possible..

Theres also a whole side issue of solidarite and doing something that is good for society as a whole that might also come into play.

I haven’t caught up with the media this AM but many of the pundits opinions last night was that there might not be an overwhelming “kick back” to the new requirement, but the leaders of the major unions representing HCPs weren’t happy, though perhaps not quite as hopping mad as one would have thought.

Be interesting to see how this develops as the details become more clear.