Visitors to France must now have a pass to show they’re fully vaccinated or Covid-negative to see the the Eiffel Tower or Louvre – with plans to include the likes of restaurants and cafes in the scheme.
President Emmanuel Macron is also considering making the jab compulsory for all residents, amid a “stratospheric” rise in Delta variant infections.
In a speech today he said vaccination is the “only way” the country can return to normal life, and wants to rush through new legislation.
But one travel organisation has criticised the move – saying it will leave Scots at a “disadvantage”.
How do I get a French Covid pass?
The French government has outlined three routes to obtaining a pass:
- Be fully vaccinated
- Show the results of a negative Covid test
- Prove they have recently recovered from Covid infection
What is the pass needed for?
A debate on President Macron’s changes is beginning in the French parliament today.
From today, a Covid pass is compulsory for all over-12s wanting to visit leisure and cultural sites, such as tourist attractions, concerts and amusement parks.
Cafes, restaurants and shopping centres could be added to the scheme next month, as well as some plane, train and bus journeys.
Additionally, he wants it to become law that all healthcare workers are vaccinated by September 15.
In the autumn, President Macron wants to introduce charges for all PCR tests unless they are prescribed by a doctor, to “encourage vaccination”.
But some residents are preparing to protest, claiming the moves are “like apartheid” and will turn the unvaccinated into “second-class citizens”.
Concerns around French travel
At the weekend, the Scottish Government announced fully-vaccinated people travelling from France will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days.
The country was named an exception to new rules removing the need for amber list country returnees to stay at home.
It means anyone coming back to Scotland will need to stay in their own accommodation and take Covid tests on their second and eighth days of isolation, even if they are fully vaccinated.
Joanne Dooey, president of The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA), which represents the travel sector, said: “Professional travel agents with decades of experience can’t keep up with the everchanging rules and regulations in the UK and in each different country around the world – so imagine how confused and perplexed travellers feel at all this uncertainty.
“The news that countries are introducing forms of Covid pass leaves Scots disadvantaged once again.”