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…

That's a fair point, Lillianm you indeed had to be interested yourself and book the appointment without anybody chasing you. And yes they were initially quite slow with all their priority groups, there were centres empty but they wouldn't open it up for others. So once it was open for all, some people clearly didnt' feel the sense of urgency any more.

However, I personally got fully vaccinated way before all my friends in the same age group in the UK. So after they opened to all, there was no excuse really.

Also Lillian is spot on with her point about half relatively difficult it has been (certainly in the early days of the campaign) to book a vaccination slot.

The French healthcare system is v v good but isn’t joined up nationally in the way the NHS is.

@ineedaholidaynow

Do you need or are you encouraged to do tests in workplaces in France?

Not sure if there is a national policy…there has been mass testing at places like some of the big Airbus plants but I don’t think it’s done as a matter of routine…(open to correction on this).

I do wonder how tightly it will be enforced. I just don’t think they have the man power to be policing it in all the restaurants.

Oh believe me they do. It’s quite simple - the waiter who’s at the door checking you have a booking - or asking you how big a table you will need - quickly checks your QR codes or vaccine pass. It takes 30 seconds, and it is enforced.

The enforcement is quite simple , there is someone at the entrance to every restaurant or biergarten here in Germany or as in our case in Austria last weekend
the waiter asked us when we sat down .(He even showed us his Covid Pass .) When you reach your table you are asked to fill out a registration form or in some cases there is registration at the entrance also .It is very much enforced and does not cause that much of a wait nor does anyone seem bothered by it.

[quote KisstheTeapot14]@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.[/quote]
It definitely helped reduce the curve of the third wave (April). For about 3 weeks now the cases are at an all-time low. The national incidence was 6.2 last time I checked. My city has an incidence of 7 and that’s seen as high, because it was half that until Delta reached the country and now we’re seeing a slight increase in cases.

There has not been one single day since this all started that I haven’t felt safer in Germany than I would’ve had in the UK. People are comfortable attending indoor events because it’s all so well organised and as secure as it can be. We’re also only allowed to use FFP2 masks, unless you’re outside, where a blue surgical mask can be used.

All our tests are free and I agree, charging for them isn’t on. At least not until later in autumn. From what I’ve read, France won’t start charging for them until September I think?

@LillianGish

Spot on. There’s no NHS organising things here, no proactive issuing of rdv to the population which makes it almost opt out - and easy to do so with free, no questions asked, testing on every street corner. France has been very opt in, in terms of getting a vaccination rdv, and the whole rdv booking process has been left to a handful of private tech companies to sort out - Doctolib, Keldoc etc - none of which have any kind of contract with the gouvernement AFAIK. That’s the bit that has boggled my brain throughout - macron et al saying vacciner, vacciner, vacciner - but not actually putting anything in place to make it happen easily.

When I got my rdv it was at 4am after two days of endlessly refreshing the Doctolib app.

I’ve had my EU pass checked in Europe the manner Eileen described prior to entering an event and it took less than 10 seconds…

Quick point of a device at your phone and if the operator (who could be your waiter) gets a green tick you are in.

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

It's shocking how children and young people are being put at risk from Long Covid disabilities.

Beyond Awful. 'Morally bankrupt'

Just like @schnubbins said. You can also only enter non-essential shops and other indoor venues after you’ve scanned the QR code for the contact tracing app. You can not go in without doing it, they simply turn you away. Up until last month, you needed both the contact app, and a negative test - even for Primark or H&M. You can check out however, so it doesn’t ping you if someone that was there 6h after you left tests positive.

@EileenGC

Tempted to move to Germany...if only I could!

I have lost all confidence of things being managed by central govt here.

Locally, everyone has pulled together - GPs, Taxi forms, volunteers.

But Boris and Co are a total shower.

You can also only enter non-essential shops and other indoor venues after you’ve scanned the QR code for the contact tracing app.

If it’s this simple, what’s to stop people using a friends code/phone?

My DH was contacted by Ameli to get his vaccination. No problems booking here and we both went to (very) local centres within a week of booking; that was back in March / April.
Even easier since Vite Ma Dose arrived.
Just watching the news and 1.3 appointments for vaccination have been made since 2000 yesterday.

@VoiceFaceArse

You can also only enter non-essential shops and other indoor venues after you’ve scanned the QR code for the contact tracing app.

If it’s this simple, what’s to stop people using a friends code/phone?

You must use your own phone - you can only activate the code by entering your own details. Email/SMS confirmation code, etc… It is hard to get around the rules. Of course some people do it, but it’s not as easy as in the UK.

@Ooodlesofboodles

Why shouldn't people pay for tests if they won't get vaccinated? Why should the taxpayer pay for a choice that is actively harmful to society, not just the individual?

People like you are genuinely frightening.

You must use your own phone - you can only activate the code by entering your own details. Email/SMS confirmation code, etc… It is hard to get around the rules. Of course some people do it, but it’s not as easy as in the UK.

So it’s not secure at all then and can be worked around. Borrow phone from vaccinated person, pretend it’s yours. Plenty of family members friends would do this for each other and share email password etc. No doubt there’s money to be made somewhere to for some people. Sounds like they need to use photo ID as well. Laughable really.

mobile.twitter.com/mylittlebaklava/status/1414891205666779157

Looks like Greece have gone the same way.

It’s not laughable. How are you going to borrow someone else’s vaccination pass if it doesn’t have your name on it? Will you also borrow their ID card? I bet the photo won’t match your own face.

Honestly, I am opposed to vaccines being made compulsory, or the governments charging for tests that have been free so far. But I do not understand this attitude of refusing other alternatives or saying they’re useless or controlling. This is the way other countries have been living for decades now, and no one is even bothered about it.

No, my freedom isn’t being curtailed by me having to show my ID card to someone every now and then. A few people get around the rules, but this is very much an efficient system for this particular culture. In Germany there are no barriers at trains stations. NONE. Nowhere in the country. You can board a bus through the back door. Yet 99% of people purchase tickets, even though there are no measures in place to check you have one. On the odd occasion that someone comes through the train to check tickets, 99% of passengers have a valid one on them. Because it’s a culture that promotes honesty above everything else. That’s why such a system works - of course you’d be unreasonable to expect it to work in the UK, you only have to see the responses here. ‘Borrow a friend’s phone, get a fake vaccination pass…’

@EileenGC

It’s not laughable. How are you going to borrow someone else’s vaccination pass if it doesn’t have your name on it? Will you also borrow their ID card? I bet the photo won’t match your own face.

Honestly, I am opposed to vaccines being made compulsory, or the governments charging for tests that have been free so far. But I do not understand this attitude of refusing other alternatives or saying they’re useless or controlling. This is the way other countries have been living for decades now, and no one is even bothered about it.

No, my freedom isn’t being curtailed by me having to show my ID card to someone every now and then. A few people get around the rules, but this is very much an efficient system for this particular culture. In Germany there are no barriers at trains stations. NONE. Nowhere in the country. You can board a bus through the back door. Yet 99% of people purchase tickets, even though there are no measures in place to check you have one. On the odd occasion that someone comes through the train to check tickets, 99% of passengers have a valid one on them. Because it’s a culture that promotes honesty above everything else. That’s why such a system works - of course you’d be unreasonable to expect it to work in the UK, you only have to see the responses here. ‘Borrow a friend’s phone, get a fake vaccination pass…’

Ticket checking does t sound that different to here

I’ve been on the bus / train and on the random occasions there’s a check I haven’t seen anyone without one.

When do you have to show ID? In every shop etc or less often

Doesn’t

@EileenGC

I'd much rather live in a society where you are presumed honest/innocent - and by and large people live up to that trust.

Like you, I don't want to see compulsory vaccination (even WHO say its not a good idea).

I wouldn't mind having an ID card - its only like a driving licence. If a COVID ID card meant that things could go back to normal in a safer way than they are now (UK), I'd have one in a heartbeat.

I lived in London for the best part of a decade. There’s no way you get on the tube without going through the barriers - except a few stations further out. Trains - yes, smaller stations don’t have barriers. But can you imagine Euston station with no barriers?

I only have to show ID in a few situations such as attending a concert indoors. They need to check that my ID matches the name on the ticket and on the test/vax certificate.

I’m originally from Spain where you are required by law to carry ID from the age of 14, and law enforcement can ask you for it on the street if they want to. It’s honestly not a big deal, I haven’t once heard someone complain about it.

It’s not laughable. How are you going to borrow someone else’s vaccination pass if it doesn’t have your name on it? Will you also borrow their ID card? I bet the photo won’t match your own face.

Well I did ask if it’s as simple as you said and you didn’t mention photo ID. Read my last post and I said they need to use photo ID. There are certainly teens and young adults here that use each other’s ID though, even with photos on so I still think it’s open to abuse.

That’s why such a system works - of course you’d be unreasonable to expect it to work in the UK, you only have to see the responses here. ‘Borrow a friend’s phone, get a fake vaccination pass…

It absolutely wouldn’t work here. Totally different culture as you say. 😞

Please note, I wouldn’t be borrowing anyone’s phone or code, I just know that if it was possible people would. I’ve followed all lockdown rules and even though I choose not to be vaccinated will continue to wear a mask for the benefit of others. If this comes to the UK, I am fortunately financially able to buy as many tests as I require but that doesn’t mean others are able to or it’s not disgusting to charge.

@EileenGC

I lived in London for the best part of a decade. There’s no way you get on the tube without going through the barriers - except a few stations further out. Trains - yes, smaller stations don’t have barriers. But can you imagine Euston station with no barriers?

I only have to show ID in a few situations such as attending a concert indoors. They need to check that my ID matches the name on the ticket and on the test/vax certificate.

I’m originally from Spain where you are required by law to carry ID from the age of 14, and law enforcement can ask you for it on the street if they want to. It’s honestly not a big deal, I haven’t once heard someone complain about it.

Some buses are now accessible from all doors and many train stations are tap in only

Not thinking if the tube I rarely take it these days plus I’ve never seen a spot check on there for obvious reasons

It’s better to check on the travel that anyone can access without those barriers

The result is the same though. On any transport I’ve been on that people easily get on there wasn’t anyone caught out - so far in all random checks I’ve seen