French students returned to school on Monday for a return to school marked by the challenges posed by the Omicron edition, amid the risk of Covid contamination, classroom closures and a potential explosion in absent teachers.

At the same time, lawmakers began to scrutinize a bill to replace health passes with vaccination passes, the adoption of which is beyond doubt despite hostility from many parties.

France has exceeded the 200,000 new daily cases threshold on several occasions in recent days, despite a vaccination rate of about 90% of the population over 12 years.

To deal with this boom associated with the Omicron version, the government wants to increase the pressure on the nearly five million non-vaccinated French people: due to lack of being able to justify immunization status, they now have access to leisure activities, even restaurants. will not be accessible. and bars, fairs or interregional public transport.

The text, which is to come into force on January 15, “makes the choice of science” and “of responsibility”, insisted French health minister Olivier Veran.

For a full vaccination program to take place, starting February 15, it will need to complete its booster dose four months – and no longer seven – after its second dose. One infection is equivalent to one injection.

Lire aussi. La France va réduire à quatre mois le délai pour le rappel du vaccin anti-Covid

In opposition, the Socialist group says it votes “on principle” for the vaccination pass, like most LR (right) representatives.

The rebels (radical left), who condemned the “brutal measure”, would vote against the extreme right of communist and Marine Le Pen.

These votes would be insufficient to derail the text. But tensions remain high over future legislation; Several elected officials reported threats against him if they voted for him.

The text provides for strict restrictions. For example, possessing a false pass can result in five years of imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros.

On the school side, classes are no longer closed as soon as three cases of Kovid have been reported. But the national education minister has decided to strengthen the policy of “contact tracing”: Pupils will be subjected to three tests over four days if they test positive in the classroom. School will be returned after negative result.

These changes are criticized by unions, who condemn re-entry “at high risk”.

According to the Scientific Council, “at least” a third of teachers could be affected by the virus by the end of January, either positively or by contact. But the relaxation of the isolation rules announced by the minister should avoid widespread absenteeism.

Nearly 124,000 people have died of Covid in France since the start of the pandemic two years ago.