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France Vaccine Pass: what are Booster requirements for tourists?

France Vaccine Pass: what are Booster requirements for tourists?

Old Jan 24th, 2022, 08:17 AM
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France Vaccine Pass: what are Booster requirements for tourists?

I’m confused about the booster requirements to obtain the Vaccine Pass in France. We will be in France for 6 weeks starting Mar 22, returning the 1st week of May. 2nd booster shots aren’t available yet in California. I received my 1st booster at the end of Sept within 7 months of my 2nd shot. My husband’s booster was in early Nov and was 8 months after his 2nd shot. According to the US we are fully vaccinated. Not sure if we will qualify for the French Vaccine pass and whether it will be good for the duration of our visit there. I have scoured the official websites but can’t find specifics for tourists. If anyone has information or can post a link that clarifies things, I would appreciate it.
This is from the US Embassy
https://fr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
  • As of December 15, people aged 65 and older will need to have received a COVID-19 booster shot in order to keep their health pass active. As of January 15, 2022, all people age 18 and older will need a COVID-19 booster shot between three (3) and seven (7) months after their second COVID dose to keep their health pass active. Booster shots are available to all adults living in France age 18 and above beginning three (3) months after they became fully vaccinated. Vaccinations for all children age five (5) and older opened December 22, 2021.  
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Old Jan 24th, 2022, 09:01 AM
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Where did you get your information that a second booster shot is required in France to get an approved Passe Sanitaire - even for the French?

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Old Jan 24th, 2022, 09:13 AM
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A friend living in France has received notice that her Passé Sanitaire will expire March 1 unless she receives a 2nd booster. But she went today to get an appointment for a 2nd Pfizer booster and was told she didn’t need it and her pass would be extended. More confusing since she was told that if she had Moderna she need a 4th shot!?

Last edited by eurohop; Jan 24th, 2022 at 10:06 AM.
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Old Jan 24th, 2022, 10:04 AM
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There is no such thing as a second booster shot in France at the moment!
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Old Jan 24th, 2022, 10:07 AM
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The EU has agreed the second jab (or first if Janssen/J&J) is valid only for 9 months, up to Feb 1st, after which the covid passport is no longer valid unless there is a booster within a set period.
There are no plans that I know of in the EU for a fourth jab any time soon, certainly not with the current vaccines.

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Old Jan 24th, 2022, 12:01 PM
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Thank you for responding. It’s 2 months until we travel and hopefully there will be additional clarification and information by then.
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Old Jan 25th, 2022, 09:12 AM
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That's kind of odd what your friend was told as the Pfizer vaccine was not as effective as Moderna, so it doesn't make sense. Unless she has some special medical condition, of course, immune-compromised people may need to get more shots than regular folks for it to take.

I suspect your friend is referring to the second series shot as a "booster", that's all. So this is your and your friend's communication problem. It was NOT a booster technically, the vaccine was supposed to be a 2 dose vaccine schedule, those were the protocols. The third shot was the "booster". JandJ was a different story as that was kind of bogus that they ever called that a one-shot regimen, it was just less effective, that's alll It was about as effective as Pfizer/Moderna were after one dose, that's all.

France has recommended shorter intervals between doses, also.

Here are the rules, they seem pretty clear to me.
https://www.gouvernement.fr/pass-san...-au-15-janvier

A booster is a "dose de rappel" in French, which translates as reminder dose.

Basically, if you had two doses of Pfizer/Moderna, you have up to 7 months to get your booster for your pass to be valid.

I don't know where the four shots requirement would have come from unless your friend was a health care worker and got the first shot very early, say end of 2020. Then the booster in France might have been done by June/July of 2021? So it is now maybe 5 months after that, so if that is the scenario (unlikely for most), it could be true.
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Old Jan 25th, 2022, 10:42 AM
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All EU/Schengen countries have agreed that for EU/Schengen residents from 1 February a pass will only be valid up to 270 days from the second jab or 180 days from recovery. If a booster is received between 3 and 9 months after the second (or first in the case of Janssen) jab then for now the pass is valid indefinitely. There will be no further requirements such as quarantine or extra tests for those holding an EU pass.
There are at this point no plans for a further booster since there is no evidence it will improve immunity, and could cause more problems than it solves. Should a new variant arise for which a special booster is available then they will offer it.

Each country can set its own rules for travellers from outside the bloc. This seems to have the latest info for France:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/article...pass-in-france
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Old Jan 25th, 2022, 11:32 AM
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My friend was given incorrect information regarding Moderna.

“Basically, if you had two doses of Pfizer/Moderna, you have up to 7 months to get your booster for your pass to be valid.”
My husband had his booster 8 months after his 2nd shot. (He is over 65]. So I’m wondering if he will meet the qualifications?

Last edited by eurohop; Jan 25th, 2022 at 11:43 AM.
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Old Jan 25th, 2022, 12:16 PM
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Originally Posted by hetismij2
The EU has agreed the second jab (or first if Janssen/J&J) is valid only for 9 months, up to Feb 1st, after which the covid passport is no longer valid unless there is a booster within a set period.
There are no plans that I know of in the EU for a fourth jab any time soon, certainly not with the current vaccines.
Well, I hope I didn't screw up. Got my vaccination in March of 2021. Was planning to get a booster about now (after first of the year), so that it would be closer to my trip date, fearing that if I got one at first availability it might not be good for my trip in May.

Of course, the way things change, who knows what the rules will be in May.

Last edited by twk; Jan 25th, 2022 at 12:21 PM.
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Old Jan 25th, 2022, 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by eurohop
My friend was given incorrect information regarding Moderna.

“Basically, if you had two doses of Pfizer/Moderna, you have up to 7 months to get your booster for your pass to be valid.”
My husband had his booster 8 months after his 2nd shot. (He is over 65]. So I’m wondering if he will meet the qualifications?
His first set were still valid when he got the booster, within the 270 days, so in theory it is OK, but each country can set it's own requirements for non EU visitors.
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Old Jan 25th, 2022, 01:23 PM
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The red part makes it look like my husband and I are OK, but I didn’t get that from reading the rest of it! And I cannot find anything that tells you what to do if your timing is outside of what the requirements are.

This is from sante.fr
Booster information

People from 18 years and one month to 64 years

  • If I have received 2 doses of vaccine, I should do my booster no later than 7 months after my second injection. Thus, a 30-year-old person who had their last dose of vaccine before June 15, 2021 must have been recalled on January 15, 2022 to obtain a new valid vaccination certificate.
  • If I had Covid-19 and then received a single dose of vaccine (Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Moderna), I must do my booster no later than 7 months after my injection.
  • If I received a dose of vaccine (AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna or Janssen) and I hadCovid-19 more than 15 days after the injection, I must do my booster no later than6 months after my infection, which is the duration of the recovery certificate.
  • If I had Covid-19 and then received a dose of Janssen after my infection, I should do my booster no later than 2 months after my injection.
If I am not yet eligible for the booster dose, my initial vaccination schedule vaccination certificate (single dose or two doses) remains valid.

To know when to do my booster dose: https://monrappelvaccincovid.ameli.fr


From 15 February 2022, the validity period of the vaccination certificate without booster dose increases to 4 months instead of 7 months.


People 65 years and older & people vaccinated with Janssen

Since 15 December, the rules relating to the "health pass" have changed only for people aged 65 and over, and people vaccinated with Janssen.

These people must have made their recall, from the moment they are eligible (i.e. 3 months after their last injection for the first and 1 month for the second), and at the end of a period of 4 additional months maximum for the first and 1 month for the second.

Beyond this period, their old vaccination certificate is considered expired.

This means that:
  • People 65 years of age and older who had their last dose of vaccine before May 15 must have completed their booster by December 15 to obtain a new valid vaccination certificate since they have passed the 3-month deadline to be eligible for the booster and 4 months to carry out this booster.
  • People vaccinated with Janssen who had their single dose before October 15,must have made their second injection by December 15 so that their vaccination certificate is not deactivated, since they have passed on this date the deadlines of 1 month to be eligible for the booster and 1 month to carry out this booster.

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Old Jan 26th, 2022, 07:52 AM
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I have the same question, only it appears to me that a booster shot must be no longer than 4 months after (residents and tourists): As of February 15, 2022, For persons aged 18 years and 1 month or more, from February 15, 2022, a vaccination schedule including the booster dose within 4 months after their last injection if it was carried out between June 16 and October 15. https://www.sante.fr/actualites/pass...ination-valide. https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-cor...#passsanitaire . I couldn't find an explanation of what is the requirement if the last injection was before June 16 or after October 15. We're planning to travel to France in the late Spring, so we'll need to figure this out in the next several months (by which point the requirements may have changed again)
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Old Jan 26th, 2022, 08:52 AM
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The problem I have is that there is conflicting information among the the official websites. Especially in regard to the “7 months requirement”. Or maybe it’s getting lost in translation. I do like the information and explanation on the https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-cor...#passsanitaire site. Here is the (google-) translated from French text on that site:

Will people who have been vaccinated in another country also have to do a booster to keep their "vaccine pass"?

As of January 15, 2022, people over 18 years of age and 1 month who have completed their initial vaccination schedule more than 7 months ago must complete it with a booster dose to continue to benefit from the vaccination pass.

A recovery certificate can also be used as part of the vaccination pass.

For French people abroad who have not carried out their vaccination booster, a support of their tests generating a "health pass" will be effective for a period of 15 days in order to give them time to carry out their booster injection

-If I have already received two doses: my vaccination schedule is recognized in France and I can obtain my "health pass" by going through the form "French from abroad" or "Student ", or in a pharmacy if I am a national of a country outside the European Union (list of pharmacies offering this service on the sante.frwebsite). I will also need to receive a booster dose before December 15 for those over 65 years of age who have been vaccinated for more than 7 months, and before January 15 for all adults who have been vaccinated for more than 7 months.

I hope I am right in thinking this means we and you are OK since we received boosters prior to December 15. Of course, as you said, things could change.



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Old Jan 26th, 2022, 09:08 AM
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Even if you had your first two shots a year ago, the booster revalidates everything after 8 days.
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Old Jan 26th, 2022, 11:59 AM
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The science right now is not recommending a 4th shot but some governments will not let you in with 3 in a certain time frame. It doesn't make sense. Seems like a lot of plans will be cancelled.
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Old Jan 26th, 2022, 01:04 PM
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[QUOTE=hetismij2;17326007
There are no plans that I know of in the EU for a fourth jab any time soon, certainly not with the current vaccines.[/QUOTE]
In Belgium invitations for a 4th jab will be sent out within a few weeks for all those with decreased immunity.
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Old Jan 27th, 2022, 03:28 AM
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In France, too, people with fragile health will be encouraged soon to have the 4th shot. Nobody else needs it.

And to return to the Moderna debate, all evidence shows that it is the best booster, but everybody is demanding Pfizer (because the general public have all become medical experts of course). I was given no choice for my booster and was given Pfizer, but at least I had Moderna as my second shot, following the relatively useless AstraZenica as my first shot.
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Old Jan 27th, 2022, 06:25 AM
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Originally Posted by kerouac
Even if you had your first two shots a year ago, the booster revalidates everything after 8 days.
That's what I'm counting on. I understand taking a flu shot once a year, but taking a covid booster every six months doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I've got a doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks and plan to do it then. Hopefully, that will be good enough.
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Old Jan 27th, 2022, 08:00 AM
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Originally Posted by kerouac
I was given no choice for my booster and was given Pfizer, but at least I had Moderna as my second shot, following the relatively useless AstraZenica as my first shot.
I had two AZ's and a Pfizer booster. My booster is more than 4 months ago. I'm in the fragile health group and never understood why they gave me AZ in the first place. We were given no choice, either.

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