Since the introduction of the health pass last summer, 400 investigations have been launched, and around 100 arrests have occurred.
Since the introduction of the health pass last summer, 400 investigations have been launched, and around 100 arrests have occurred. A traffic whose human ramifications can be devastating. The government offers to remove the charges against individuals who choose to cooperate.
False health passes are widely available in France. According to the Ministry of Interior's entourage, 110,000 fraudulent documents have been discovered to date. Since the implementation of this pass last summer, which requires the attendance of certain places to be accompanied by a complete vaccination schedule, "there have been more than a hundred arrests out of the 400 investigations that have begun to be opened," said Gerald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior, on France 2.
According to his entourage, these arrests are aimed at both users and trafficking networks. "The difficulty with phony health passes is that they are frequently in collusion with actual physicians or real nurses," complained the minister, adding that "it is very difficult to establish."
Upto 5 years in prison
Individuals seeking a false permit travel to social networks, where genuine traffic has been coordinated since last summer, in addition to soliciting nursing personnel. Some traffickers claim to supply the valuable certificate with "Améli certification" for around 200 euros in return for personal information (including social security number, name, date of birth, and address).
According to the Interior Minister, this trafficking has already resulted in postponed jail sentences and, in some cases, closed prison, particularly for pass users. At the end of November, a doctor from Val-de-Marne was indicted and placed in pre-trial prison after being accused of selling at least 220 bogus health cards. The penalty, as Gérald Darmanin reminded us, can be up to five years in jail.
The risks of lying
In addition to the legal implications, the usage of a forged pass might have serious health effects. Many hospital experts have been warning for several days about the dangers of improper care of major Covid patients. A 57-year-old lady, for example, died of Covid-19 at a hospital in Hauts-de-Seine after presenting a bogus health permit. Doctors believe that if she had not misled about her vaccination status, she may have received neutralizing antibodies, which are beneficial in decreasing the risk of illness development.
To combat pass trafficking, Gérad Darmanin stated that he supports eliminating punishment of persons who have a forgery and want to comply.
As a result, the administration is banking on a stepped-up vaccine and recall effort to combat the fifth wave, which is wreaking havoc on the country. According to the most recent numbers available, approximately 3,000 people are in intensive care, with the amount expected to rise to 4,000 by the end-of-year vacations, according to government spokesperson Gabriel Attal. On Friday afternoon, a Health Defense Council meeting will be place.