Proposal to require booster

Do you have an objection to a booster shot? If not, getting one would be the simplest solution and put you in a good place should requirements change suddenly.

Not sure about France -but certiainly has been a requirement for some coiuntries such as a Croatia. Also a bloody good idea to protect yourself

Sure looks like it and I believe it to be necessary. I hope the US institutes the same.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexledsom/2021/11/25/eu-travel-boosters-to-become-a-travel-requirement/amp/

No, it’s not a proposal — it’s already decreed.

It comes into effect as of December 15 for those 65 years of age and older; and as of January 15 for those ages 18 to 64.

Then again, so far it’s not required as a condition of entry to France — only to have a valid health pass, which allows one to enter restaurants, museums, cafes, bars, etc.

More here from when it was first announced last week:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/as-expected-french-gov-announces-no-lockdown-no-curfew

Kim, thank you. The way I interpreted it, it was proposed for everyone if it's been 7 months since the last dose, so I was a bit confused... I appreciate the clarification.

The EU has proposed that starting in January, a booster shot will be necessary no later than 9 months after your second jab to travel freely between EU countries.

Now, before you start panicking, read carefully. The EU has PROPOSED this. IT IS NOT LAW. It will be up to each individual country to decide if the want to adopt this. The EU has no power to enforce this.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/25/eu-moves-to-place-covid-booster-jabs-at-heart-of-travel-rules

As Kim mentioned. France has their own booster laws in place.

Vaccination centers in France are booked out into January and February, though 300 are reopening next week. France is very serious about everyone not only being vaccinated but also getting the booster.

Bets, that's not the case everywhere. We just made an appointment for a booster next Wednesday via Doctolib. There were lots of slots open. This in La Manche. Perhaps things are different in your neighborhood.

Interesting Sammy. We have some worried, frustrated people online down in the Hérault, but it will certainly iron out when another big vax center reopens next week. I got mine before the policy change.

Yes, trying to get an appointment for a booster is pretty much impossible here in Ile de France via the Doctolib site until sometime in January, as I can attest from the difficulties my husband is having finding an appointment.

Luckily I had searched and found an appointment about a week prior to Veran’s speech, as the prior plan was that 50 yo and older would become eligible as of Dec 1. I made an appointment for Dec 3 (I wanted to wait until the start of the weekend in case I feel poorly again after the dose as I have after the first two) and had plenty of choices.

My husband didn’t get around to it, so he has been trying. Finally yesterday on his day off, he called into the call center, and they found him an appointment for Dec 13 in the 13th arrondissement.

I know that in the day after Veran’s mid-day speech announcing the change, 500,000 people made appointments; and a million did so over the weekend.

I will be happy to be fully boosted before flying home to the states for Christmas !

The way I interpreted it, it was proposed for everyone if it's been 7 months since the last dose,

Well. . . it is, if you want to have a valid health pass as of January 15 for those 18 and up. (As of Dec 15 for those 65 and up).

A valid health pass gets you into restaurants, cafes, museums, cinemas, theaters, to visit someone in the hospital, etc. If you don’t care about doing any of those things, you can do without a health pass.

Not a booster question as I have been boosted….however given that booster appts are well into January/February…….will it be difficult to also find an appt for antigen test in order to return to US? We depart to US 1/1/2022.

Shots and Antigen tests are not at all the same thing. Antigen tests are widely available and easy to obtain. There are far fewer venues offering shots and with a recent policy change to the definition of being fully vaccinated, demand immediately skyrocketed.

Kim, when are you getting here? Our next meeting is the 18th. PM or email me if you're going to have time to visit. Stan, Kim P, and I would love to see you.

Thank you Tocard for your explanation:)

Bravo kerouac2. Glad you were able to find an appointment.

I have gotten my booster after my pass sanitaire was approved - wondering how I get the pass updated. Has anybody done this yet?

Glenn

You will likely need to go to a participating pharmacy again and have them generate a new QR code if you want to keep your pass sanitare current.

@ Glenn, I agree with Tocard. I'd just walk out the front door of your hotel and go to the nearest pharmacy with your CDC card in hand. If you have a paper copy of your Pass take that otherwise they can just scan your phone (or watch if you've downloaded it there) to see your status. To be honest, in walking "my" neighborhood in October I never saw a pharmacy that DIDN'T have signs in their windows about the Antigen tests so I think all are doing them. IF there seems to be a line of customers, I'd come back later or try a different store. Look for a green neon cross.

Hi Kim and Bets, thanks for all your great reporting of the shifting situation in France. I just read on the reopen EU site that those of us over 65 must have had the booster WITHIN 7 months of our last (2nd) shot. My husband and I both got boosters more than 7 months after our 2nd shots. Our 1st shots were February 24 and 27 and our boosters were both Oct 9. Does this mean we will not be eligible for the health pass since we did not get our boosters within 7 months of our 2nd shot? The site does not seem to address this specific situation. Any ideas on this? We are, once again pretty stressed about our trip to France scheduled for this coming spring. And no, unfortunately we did not apply for a pass sanitaire when they were available, at least sometimes via email. More's the pity!

At kerouac2: thanks for your input. I didn't mean what date with the boosters expire. I understood that we must have had the booster WITHIN 7 months of our 2nd shot. The boosters my husband and I received were about 7 1/2 months after the 2nd shot, therefore not WITHIN 7 months. Maybe that's not what the reopen EU site meant, maybe the exact requirement was lost in translation but I cannot accurately translate French. So I was hoping someone who could read the original French would be able to tell me whether or not having have the booster more than 7 months after the 2nd shot would disqualify us from a pass sanitaire.

My husband and I both got boosters more than 7 months after our 2nd shots. Our 1st shots were February 24 and 27 and our boosters were both Oct 9. Does this mean we will not be eligible for the health pass since we did not get our boosters within 7 months of our 2nd shot?

No.

You're good to go, Kay. They just want you to have that booster, and you have it. It's valid. You just need to get your CDC info changed to a French Pass sanitaire at a pharmacy when you arrive.

Lots of people will have gotten boosters seven months or longer after their second dose.

Being seven months past your second dose only becomes a problem on Dec 15 (for 65 and up) or Jan 15 (for ages 18 to 64), at which point if your most recent dose was not within seven months, your vaccination will be considered expired.

They are not, however, going to go back and look at how long of an interval any boosted person had between their second dose and their booster. It only matters once you reach those Dec 15 and Jan 15 dates (depending on your age) if you DON’T have a booster.

Thanks for all of the great info! I read somewhere that US citizens visiting France should also download the anti covid app, but how do I get my CDC vax card info onto that app? Is it part of the sworn statement process? I know that I need a health pass but I'm trying to figure out how that all works. This website: https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus/pass-sanitaire is kind of confusing...

You can’t upload your CDC card into TousAntiCovid. You have to go to a pharmacy with your CDC card and pay them €36 to convert your CDC proof into a French QR code.

There are several threads on this page with that information.

Thank you Bets! What a relief! Of course, I realize things may (will) change between now and spring but for now I feel reassured. I'm hoping that we will be offered a 2nd booster 6 months after the 1st booster. If so, sign me up!