In exceptional circumstances, exceptional measures.
This Wednesday, before the law committee of the National Assembly, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran defended the bill "strengthening the tools for managing the health crisis".
The text must transform the health pass into a vaccination pass, for "access to leisure activities, restaurants and drinking establishments, fairs, seminars and trade shows or even to interregional transport", in particular rail.
According to the trained doctor, there is an urgent need to adopt new measures, as evidenced by the 208,000 cases recorded in the last 24 hours.
The government wants this law to apply from January 15.
In addition to detailing the terms of the vaccine pass, the Minister also answered many questions relating to the fight against Covid-19.
Here's what to remember.
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Strengthening the fight against fraud
Faced with the 180,000 fakes detected by the Ministry of the Interior, a practice deemed "irresponsible" and "dangerous", Olivier Véran ensures that the new version of the pass "further strengthens the measures to fight against fraud".
It should allow the managers of establishments open to the public to verify the identity of its customers, "in the event of proven doubt".
"Using a pass belonging to another or transmitting an authentic pass for fraudulent purposes will now be punished by 1,500 euros", against 135 euros currently, also specified Jean-Pierre Pont, the rapporteur of the bill.
The possession of a false pass would be punished by five years' imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros, if the law is promulgated.
12-17 year olds affected by the vaccination pass
The 12-17 year olds will be affected by the vaccination pass, reaffirmed Olivier Véran.
“A coherent choice” according to the Council of State.
The latter spoke upstream on the bill and deemed "necessary" the "verification of the identity of customers by professionals" to "prevent the use of fraudulent documents".
A test in addition to the pass is not excluded
Should we ask for a negative test in addition to the vaccination pass at the entrance to places particularly at risk of contamination?
"It's a legitimate question", answers Véran.
It does not exclude the measure, called "2G +" among our German-speaking neighbors who have already applied it.
However, the bill does not provide for such a precaution.
“If it was necessary to do so, it must be able to be done by decree.
It does not require a legislative basis, ”explains the Minister.
The measurement is in the boxes.
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No vaccination pass at work, lack of consensus
Announced as a privileged avenue, the vaccination pass at work does not appear in the bill given to Parliament.
Véran explained himself on this blow of gum.
The executive tried to convince the social partners.
But the discussions "did not lead to a consensus".
Result: "the government did not choose to retain it in the text", explains the Minister of Health.
Véran does not oppose the request for a meeting pass
If the bill does not impose the vaccination pass at the entrance to meetings - the provision is considered undemocratic and unconstitutional, a few months before the elections - Olivier Véran is not opposed to the organizers taking this precaution.
"There is no will on the part of the government to do double standards, depending on whether we are talking about political or leisure activities," he insists.
The majority to which it belongs has already announced that it would respect the meeting gauges.
100% reimbursement of teleconsultations
In accordance with several amendments tabled on this subject, Olivier Véran wishes to extend the reimbursement to 100% of teleconsultations "because it has shown its effectiveness".
The number of teleconsultations fell from 10,000 to one million per week at the start of the epidemic, "in particular thanks to this 100% support which makes it simple", said the Minister of Health before the committee on Laws of the National Assembly.
In the same vein, the government intends to perpetuate "until June 30, 2022" the "funding guarantee for public and private health establishments", also introduced in March 2020 and which expired on December 31.
Consensus out of spite
Even before the hearing of Olivier Véran, the executive already welcomed a "very broad consensus" of parliamentary groups.
A very relative notion.
If AGIR and the Modem support, the LR and PS deputies prefer to declare respectively that they will "not oppose" and that they "will vote in principle".
Another way to say yes.
Only the RN and the BIA have indicated that they will oppose the bill.
The eternal trial in democracy
To the left of the left, the pass does not pass.
For the communist Sébastien Jumel, adopting the law would be "to take a further step into the permanent state of emergency" and renounce "the rule of law".
“Vaccination is a sure way to fight the epidemic.
On the other hand, there is nothing scientific about the passes.
You are deliberately confusing both, the better to accuse any criticism of your policy as obscurantist, ”adds Mathilde Panot (LFI).
Does the government not consult enough representatives and take advantage of health measures to restrict the freedoms of the French?
Faced with this "trial in democracy", in the words of the person concerned, Olivier Véran lists the more restrictive measures of our European neighbors who do not hesitate to confine or restore the curfew.
“When we compare, we console each other,” he concludes, annoyed.