Emilie can no longer afford to go out, Julien is considering leaving France, Coralie has suffered from the comments of her colleagues, while Sonia and Soraya have given in and borrowed from their close friends’ health passes to resume a life with cinemas and restaurants. . How can you live without a health pass? The unvaccinated French trust themselves.
These are some of the famous Frenchmen that the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, pointed out on Wednesday, January 5, in an interview with Le Parisien. Adults who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 that the head of state said he wanted to “continue to piss off until the end” by preventing them from “going to the restaurant”, “going for a drink” or “going to the theater” as long as they do not agree to be vaccinated. These comments caused a stir in the National Assembly, where deputies were examining the bill on the vaccination pass.
Currently, French citizens who want to enter restaurants, cinemas, sports clubs and other places open to the public only need a health pass. Starting on January 15, if the bill is approved by the National Assembly next week, they will have to submit a complete vaccination schedule with a booster dose no more than 7 months after their last injection or infection with the Covid-19, to receive a valid vaccination pass.
At the moment when the conditions of access to the new pass could be tightened, several unvaccinated French people agreed to tell France 24 about the changes, difficulties and small arrangements of their lives without the health pass.
Emilie *, 38 years old, self-employed: “I can’t afford to go to the restaurant or to the movies anymore.”
“I have never had a health pass, except when I had to do a free PCR test for being a contact case two months ago. That lasted 72 hours and I took the opportunity to go to a bar. Before that, I had used my mother’s pass to drink A coffee a few times, but I quickly stopped when a waiter pointed out that the date of birth indicated did not match, I was scared, a fine of 750 euros for an infraction, it deters you.
In any case, I have greatly limited my outings since the first confinement, if only for financial reasons. I can no longer afford to go to restaurants or the movies. It’s simple, my budget to go out is 5 euros per month. I think that for someone who can afford to go out, the motivation to get vaccinated will be higher.
I can live without these little pleasures. I ride my bike, I go for a walk in the woods, I go to my friends’ house and I invite them home. I had an antigen test in September at the pharmacy, when it was still reimbursed by social security, even for those who had not been vaccinated. I went to the cinema to see a movie that I really wanted to see. After that, I stopped doing what I call “comfort tests.”
Sometimes I feel tensions with my boyfriend. She would like us to go to the movies or have a drink at any time, even when the pharmacies are closed.
Many people thought that this health crisis would be temporary and I am one of them. I am young, healthy and I believe that my body can fight against Covid-19. And I follow the barrier measures even more strictly than the vaccinated ones. But if this is prolonged, if in three years they continue to ask me for a health pass to sit in a cafe, I will be ready to review my position.
Julien *, 40 years old, programmer: “If the limitations are too great, it will be an opportunity to go live elsewhere”
“I have not been vaccinated, I have never had Covid-19 and I do not cheat. I decided to play the game and accept the consequences. I am not the type of person who goes to the movies or to the restaurant. I prefer to cook a good meal. With the advent of the Omicron variant, I am even less tempted to go to crowded places, I avoid having more than four friends at home, I take care of myself and my close circle of friends.
However, the only thing I miss is sport: climbing, swimming … I have not been able to resume my club activities since the pandemic. Over time, I learned to exercise differently, I have imposed exercises. Since I can’t go to the gym, I take advantage of the outdoors, it’s nice.
For the holidays, I couldn’t go to see my parents because I had to take the TGV and present a pass. I had to travel on Christmas Day, and that day the pharmacies are closed, so it would have been impossible to take the test to update my pass.
It can’t be that that goes on forever. I am not against the vaccine itself if they make one that is long-term tested and safe. I hope that the State does not impose the future vaccination pass to travel, because until now a negative antigenic test was enough and I did not need the health pass. I would feel like a hostage if I couldn’t leave my country, because I love to travel. If the limitations are too great, it will be an opportunity to move to another place, to change countries.
Coralie *, 34 years old, ex-nurse: “They took a picture of me behind the window and published ‘punished’ on the networks”
“Ethically, I can’t use a fake health card. And I don’t see the point. I have other priorities than going to the restaurant or the movies. I’ve been looking for a job for a month and I’m starting to have trouble paying my credit. Six months ago I quit my job as a caregiver in a hospital for a sales job that I did not like.
This summer I only used the health pass once, after a test, to take the children to Disneyland. Otherwise, friends often offer to meet at home. Most of the time people are complacent, limiting risk taking and temptation.
But a few months ago I felt judged by some former teammates. The company I worked for was organizing a meeting in a bar to take stock after a field study. My colleagues were all there and I was waiting for them outside. They took a photo of me behind the window and posted “punished” on social media. It was a joke. I didn’t take it the wrong way … but it seemed childish and low.
At Christmas, they asked me not to go to celebrate Christmas Eve at my in-laws’ house because I am not vaccinated. My husband and children went without me. But my in-laws are vaccinated. In my opinion, those who have to be more careful are the unvaccinated. I’m even more scrupulous about barrier measures. The company I worked for organized an event with 60 people in early December. I was one of the only ones who wore a mask, I was very surprised.
I was very scared when the Government mentioned the idea of making the health pass mandatory in companies. I had nightmares about it, I thought I would never find a job. It is already complicated because I cannot go back to work in the health sector because it takes at least four months to get a complete vaccination schedule. But I made myself a promise not to get vaccinated and I want to keep it.
Sonia *, 27 years old, lawyer: “I used to use my sister’s health pass”
“I caught Covid-19 two months ago. I am almost glad I caught it because I became immune and I was not very bad. Since then I have a health pass.
Before I used that of my sister, who does not live in the same city. No one has ever verified my identity, neither in France nor in Italy, where I have been several times. On many occasions, they didn’t even ask for my pass.
I did not want to be vaccinated because I thought that this pandemic would end up happening, because I can do without it at work and because I prefer to have more distance with the vaccine. But if the situation continues, if the pass remains in force, I will probably get vaccinated when my health pass expires. “
Soraya *, 63 years old, babysitter: “I have many friends who organize a parallel life”
“I have never been afraid of Covid-19 and I avoid wearing a mask whenever I can. In stores I have to do it, but when I take care of children it is heavy. Nor have I imposed it on parents who come to pick up their children.
I tried to do without the health pass for the first few months, I was proud. He no longer went to restaurants or the movies, but soon I began to miss him. I borrowed a pass from a friend, only she was born in 1996! I was flattered, no one noticed. But one day, a restaurant owner told me that there was probably a mistake on my pass. You have lost a customer, I will never set foot in your business again! Since then, another friend lends me her pass when I want to go out.
I have many friends who organize a parallel life due to these limitations. I would like to feel free in my country. I think that instead of forcing us to get vaccinated, the Government should put the means to increase the capacity of hospitals and better treat their caregivers.
Reluctantly, I am finally going to get vaccinated on Saturday because I have to visit my family in Algeria. I have not seen them for a long time and due to the closing of the borders I have not been able to mourn for my sister who I lost in 2020. It is an important trip for me, so I cannot choose the vaccine. I’m afraid it will be mandatory in France when I get back and I can’t afford to get stuck there.
The names were changed.
The article was translated from the original French text
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