Starting August 1, 2022, France remove all COVID-19 rules. The state of health emergency, which was established in 2020 and extended several times, expired on July 31. Currently, the French parliament has passed a bill setting out the new COVID-19 measures, which will remain in place after August 1.
In fact, the new bill removes all the COVID-19 rules, without re-introducing the lockdown, no longer requiring access rules and health permits, but gives the government the option to introduce a requirement for all travelers to show a negative test result. the COVID-19 test to enter France, just in case a dangerous new strain of COVID emerges.
France removes all COVID-19 rules
If a particularly dangerous variant of Covid appears, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne will be able to introduce this "certificate" by decree. If implemented, it will mean that all travelers arriving in France, regardless of their vaccination status, nationality or country of origin, will need to show proof of a negative test in order to enter. Until then, free to travel in France, no COVID-19 rules!
The government wanted to keep the ability to use health passes for international travel until 31 March 2023, but failed to win support for this in Parliament. Instead, the bill introduces the possibility for the government to impose a health travel certificate on travelers.
Thus, from August 1, all the COVID-19 rules for entering public places are removed. People no longer need a health certificate after July 31, 2022. But it is still recommended to wear masks in transport, in hospitals and nursing homes.
The new Covid bill opens the door for unvaccinated health professionals to return to work, though not immediately. We remind you that healthcare workers who are not fully vaccinated against Covid have been banned from working from October 2021. In October, 15.000 healthcare workers were suspended. Today, around 3600 are still banned from working because of this rule.