Covid Travel dilemma WWYD

[ComfyQuilt]

I’m NC for this Covid travel dilemma.

I have had second of two vaccines four months ago and am due to have my booster soon. I am 100% legal to enter France.

We are supposed to be going skiing at half term with a large family group. You need a vaccine pass to use ski lifts that is stricter than the rules for entering the country.

The rules is that in order to get a vaccine pass you currently need a booster within seven months of vaccine two.

Im well within this time frame but the rules change DURING my half term trip (booster time limit drops to four months) meaning that I can no longer use my nhs pass on ski lifts.

I don’t want to get the booster yet as two family members have had confirmed Covid within the last month. I had a ‘cold’ and I currently still have impaired taste despite testing negative on many lateral flows and pcr.

I now want to wait before having booster due to increased risk of myocarditis but the rules in France (not to get there but for leisure activities) won’t enable me to wait as I never had a positive pcr.

If it was just me going then I’d reroute to Italy to resolve this but I can’t do this without inconvenience and cost to others.

A boosted relative who is not coming on holiday, and is of similar age has sent me their nhs travel pdf. Would you print it out for use on ski lifts only?
WWYD

1. Use the relative’s pdf for ski lifts and restaurants only for second half of the trip
2. Go but spend day 4 onwards alone in the apartment
3. Cause hassle and cost to everyone and change the trip to Italy
4. Have booster too early ( assuming previous false negative test) and risk health issues ( I already have irregular heart rate and have had cardiology assessment of this)

So wwyd?!

The QR codes flash up with your name when you use them. No idea if they will check them against ID in France (although it does seem unlikely)

Thank you @Aroundtheworldin80moves
I don’t think most people in a busy ski lift queue will have ID on them. This is part of the reason why I think it’d work. They actually advise use of paper copies as phone batteries could obviously die whilst up the mountain!

Ask your GP or Cardiologist if there is any reason not to have your booster considering your irregular heart rate.
From all I’ve read you’re more likely to get Myocarditis from Covid than the vaccine.

@SomewhereOnlyIKnow yes but I’d have to have the booster ‘too early’ that’s the issue. I can’t bother my GP just because of travel plans when uk advice would simply be to wait a few weeks .

Italy is just as strict if not more so than France. You need a Super Green Pass at the moment even to eat outside a restaurant, use a ski lift, sit on a bus etc.

I've just returned from Italy and you have to show a vax pass for almost everything. They have an app on their phones which returns either a tick (ok) or a cross (not ok). They are super strict about it. So if France has the same app (highly likely) and the same attitude (I don't know about that one) you could find yourself unable to do the things you want to do.

I accidentally showed the wrong vax pass a couple of times and got the big red X and had to keep searching till I found the right one.

I know it's Italy not France, but I would lean towards ticking all their boxes if I wanted to go without worry.

I yes but Italy allows six months from vaccine two not four @Geamhradh

@Mxflamingnoravera I will have paper version that complies…so which would you do 1,2,3 or4?

I'd have the vaccine anyway - holiday or not. Absolutely millions of people will have had it straight after covid and the rate of myocarditis is very(tiny!) low. Covid has a much higher risk to your organs. (I'm a skier and won't mention how much riskier that is!). To put your mind at rest check with a dr.

I absolutely would not scan the fake vaccine record. If they check ID with it - which can happen- you will face a mr least a huge fine.

How can they check ID if I don’t have any on me though? I never have ID when skiing as my wallet is too bulky.

You are supposed to carry I'd at all times in France.... This is a normal everyday day thing for French people.

Thank you @TheExtraGuineaPig I’m trying to remember if ski passes us have a name on…

I’ve said in my OP about my very recent exposure to Covid/ suspended Covid so just don’t believe Covid is a bigger risk than an early booster at this point in time…

@whyohwhyohwhyohwhywhy but that would mean taking passport skiing every day if you don’t have an ID card

I'd either get the booster or not go. You won't enjoy yourself if you're constantly worrying if you're going to get caught out with the wrong docs

*suspected Covid

@Frederica852 but that would ruin trip for DH and DC if I don’t go so doesn’t feel like an option

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/local-laws-and-customs#:~:text=You%20must%20be%20able%20to,places%20in%20France%20is%20illegal.

Prove id at the time or within 4 hours - presumably you could take a driving licence with you rather than a passport.

I would get my booster at least a fortnight before going on holiday. The risks are tiny so you are overthinking it and you are likely to have problems on holiday without it which could cause problems for you

OP have arrythmia and strong cardiac family issues, confirmed Covid and absolutely fine after booster. Covid caused me much bigger (temp) heart issues than any of the jabs.

Just own your decision, if you don't want the jab live with the consequences. Have you seen the fine for using false Covid docs? 40k+ euros

Either move the trip, do what you can when the rules change or get the booster. There's still time

Unrelated to your dilemma but related to skiing - always ski with your driving licence, health card, and insurance details in your jacket pocket so if you have an accident you can begin treatment straight away.

In France they were checking our app/ pass but didn't check ID in the bars but they did to buy lift pass and to check into ski school.

Personally I’d have the vaccine and not use someone else’s pass.
I’d not be able to enjoy my holiday knowing I could be caught out at any time. It might be that 9 times out of 10 they don’t ask for ID but one time they might. Happens all the time in everyday life - buying alcohol, pickling parcel up from shop.
Also general practices might have changed - it might be expected for you to carry ID whilst skiing now.

It's a legal requirement in Italy to have ID on you at all times. Just because they don't check everyone at all times, doesn't mean they can't, or won't. (A photocopy will suffice)
Additionally, it's a legal requirement for non EU tourists to register their presence in Italy with the police. It's generally done by hotels if that's where you're staying. It happens at the moment of check in when you show them your passport.

If it’s the NHS PDF it expires after 30 days so the one you have now may not work anyway.
Your relative would need to refresh their app and send the travel PDF just before you go.

Just wondering what might happen if Mr. X is flagged up as being on the ski lift when he's not in the country.

@Geamhradh my ID for entering the coincidence 100% in order. Regarding your second point, I’m not sure they hand held scanners are that forensic!

I think the worry of getting found out is my main problem. And I can also see the benefit of having ID in the case of an accident so I’d have to deliberately not take any.

However, anyone who has ever been on a busy ski lift can tell you, you’d be shepherded in an just turned away without a valid pass. I simply cannot imagine this would be a check your ID or report to the police later scenario!!

• entering the country ( not coincidence- thanks autocorrect !)