Reader question: What should I do if my French vaccine pass deactivates?
France has begun deactivating the vaccine passes of adults who have not had a Covid booster - here's what to do if this happens to you.
For the majority of people a Covid vaccine booster shot is now required for a valid French vaccine pass.
This requirement began in December for over 65s, before being extended to general population and the limit lowered to four months on February 15th. After a one-week 'period of tolerance' the government began deactivating vaccine passes on February 23rd.
The rules now state that anyone aged 18 who had their second dose more than four months ago must have a booster in order to keep their pass valid.
If you have had a booster the pass remains valid, even if more than four months have passed between the second and third shots.
These rules also apply to any tourists, visitors or people vaccinated outside France who wish to use the health pass.
Those who fail to receive a booster dose will have their pass deactivated. When this happens, you will no longer be able to use your health pass to access venues like bars, restaurants, tourists sites and cinemas - you will also be temporarily barred from using long-distance trains.
Fortunately, it is very easy to reactivate the pass.
If you have already had the booster, simply upload the relevant certificate to the TousAntiCovid app.
You can do this by opening the app, clicking the "scanner un QR code" or "scan a QR code" button, and then pointing the phone's camera at the QR code on your vaccination certificate or positive test result.
Some vaccination sites no longer hand out vaccination certificates routinely, instead submitting information about your status to Assurance Maladie. If this is the case, you must download the certificate from the Ameli site to receive the QR code, which can then be scanned into the TousAntiCovid app.
If you do not yet have a carte vitale and are therefore not registered with Ameli, make sure you ask for a paper certificate at the vaccine centre.
If you have recently had Covid you can show a positive test result instead of the booster shot for up to four months after you were infected - full details here.
If you have not yet received a booster jab and haven't recently tested positive, the solution is even simpler: get a booster shot.
If you are over 65, you do not even need to book an appointment to receive your booster. You can simply walk into any vaccination site and you will be given priority treatment.
You can read our guide on how to get a booster dose HERE.
If you don't own a smartphone - those who don't use the TousAntiCovid app can carry around paper evidence of having received a booster dose or a positive test result. If you do this, make sure to carry proof of previous Covid vaccinations too.
Once you have scanned in your new certificate, the vaccine pass reactivates immediately.
How do I know when my pass will deactivate?
You can check whether your pass will deactivate by using the TousAntiCovid app – those who do so will receive an on-screen notification if their pass is set to expire. You can also double-check by clicking on the “Ouvrir mon carnet” or “Open my wallet” section of the app.
If your pass is set to expire, your most recent in-app vaccination certificate will carry a yellow warning informing you of the deadline to get your booster dose.
There is also an online simulator to tell you when your health pass will be deactivated – this is particularly useful for people who do not use the TousAntiCovid app.
Tourists and visitors
The booster shot rule also applies to people who are visiting France. If you were vaccinated in an EU or Schengen zone country your vaccination certificate will be compatible with the French system.
If you were vaccinated outside the EU you will need to convert your vaccination certificate into a French one - here's how.
If you were vaccinated in the UK your certificate is compatible with the French system. However, NHS QR codes are only valid for 30 days so you will need to download a new code from the NHS site every 30 days and upload it to the French app in order to keep your pass activated.
Special note for the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine
A small minority of people in France received a single-shot Janssen vaccine.
These people are eligible for a booster dose one month after their most recent infection. Their health passes will be deactivated if two months have passed since that last injection.
There are also some particular rules for if you were infected following your Janssen injection:
If you received a Janssen vaccine, then caught Covid less than 15 days later, you should receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine four weeks after infection. After receiving this additional dose, you become eligible for a booster dose three months after your second injection. You will be considered fully vaccinated, with a booster.
If you received a Janssen vaccine, then caught Covid more than 15 days later, you become eligible for a booster dose three months after infection. After seven of receiving this injection, you will be considered fully vaccinated, with a booster.
As for those injected with Pfizer/Moderna/Astrazeneca vaccines, if you were injected with the Janssen vaccine and then test positive, this means you can use the health pass for six months (from the moment the test was taken) without getting a booster.
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For the majority of people a Covid vaccine booster shot is now required for a valid French vaccine pass.
This requirement began in December for over 65s, before being extended to general population and the limit lowered to four months on February 15th. After a one-week 'period of tolerance' the government began deactivating vaccine passes on February 23rd.
The rules now state that anyone aged 18 who had their second dose more than four months ago must have a booster in order to keep their pass valid.
If you have had a booster the pass remains valid, even if more than four months have passed between the second and third shots.
These rules also apply to any tourists, visitors or people vaccinated outside France who wish to use the health pass.
Those who fail to receive a booster dose will have their pass deactivated. When this happens, you will no longer be able to use your health pass to access venues like bars, restaurants, tourists sites and cinemas - you will also be temporarily barred from using long-distance trains.
Fortunately, it is very easy to reactivate the pass.
If you have already had the booster, simply upload the relevant certificate to the TousAntiCovid app.
You can do this by opening the app, clicking the "scanner un QR code" or "scan a QR code" button, and then pointing the phone's camera at the QR code on your vaccination certificate or positive test result.
Some vaccination sites no longer hand out vaccination certificates routinely, instead submitting information about your status to Assurance Maladie. If this is the case, you must download the certificate from the Ameli site to receive the QR code, which can then be scanned into the TousAntiCovid app.
If you do not yet have a carte vitale and are therefore not registered with Ameli, make sure you ask for a paper certificate at the vaccine centre.
If you have recently had Covid you can show a positive test result instead of the booster shot for up to four months after you were infected - full details here.
If you have not yet received a booster jab and haven't recently tested positive, the solution is even simpler: get a booster shot.
If you are over 65, you do not even need to book an appointment to receive your booster. You can simply walk into any vaccination site and you will be given priority treatment.
You can read our guide on how to get a booster dose HERE.
If you don't own a smartphone - those who don't use the TousAntiCovid app can carry around paper evidence of having received a booster dose or a positive test result. If you do this, make sure to carry proof of previous Covid vaccinations too.
Once you have scanned in your new certificate, the vaccine pass reactivates immediately.
How do I know when my pass will deactivate?
You can check whether your pass will deactivate by using the TousAntiCovid app – those who do so will receive an on-screen notification if their pass is set to expire. You can also double-check by clicking on the “Ouvrir mon carnet” or “Open my wallet” section of the app.
If your pass is set to expire, your most recent in-app vaccination certificate will carry a yellow warning informing you of the deadline to get your booster dose.
There is also an online simulator to tell you when your health pass will be deactivated – this is particularly useful for people who do not use the TousAntiCovid app.
Tourists and visitors
The booster shot rule also applies to people who are visiting France. If you were vaccinated in an EU or Schengen zone country your vaccination certificate will be compatible with the French system.
If you were vaccinated outside the EU you will need to convert your vaccination certificate into a French one - here's how.
If you were vaccinated in the UK your certificate is compatible with the French system. However, NHS QR codes are only valid for 30 days so you will need to download a new code from the NHS site every 30 days and upload it to the French app in order to keep your pass activated.
Special note for the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine
A small minority of people in France received a single-shot Janssen vaccine.
These people are eligible for a booster dose one month after their most recent infection. Their health passes will be deactivated if two months have passed since that last injection.
There are also some particular rules for if you were infected following your Janssen injection:
If you received a Janssen vaccine, then caught Covid less than 15 days later, you should receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine four weeks after infection. After receiving this additional dose, you become eligible for a booster dose three months after your second injection. You will be considered fully vaccinated, with a booster.
If you received a Janssen vaccine, then caught Covid more than 15 days later, you become eligible for a booster dose three months after infection. After seven of receiving this injection, you will be considered fully vaccinated, with a booster.
As for those injected with Pfizer/Moderna/Astrazeneca vaccines, if you were injected with the Janssen vaccine and then test positive, this means you can use the health pass for six months (from the moment the test was taken) without getting a booster.
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