As of Monday, the sanitary pass has been extended to cafés and restaurants. This is a sort of pilot week, before any fines are imposed. The pass means either proof of complete Covid-19 vaccination, recovery from the disease through a positive test certificate of at least 11 days and less than six months, or a negative test of less than 72 hours. Where it is in force, wearing a mask is no longer compulsory.
France does not take possible infringements lightly. A professional who fails to apply the required controls is liable to a fine of up to 9,000 euros and a year’s imprisonment if this failure is observed on more than three occasions during a period of 45 days.
A customer who fails to produce a pass, or presents that of another person, is liable to a fine of 750 euros (reduced to 135 euros if paid promptly), rising to 1,500 euros in the event of a repeat offence within 15 days.
It should be noted that restaurant owners have the choice of whether or not to opt for the CovidCheck scheme. So, to avoid disappointment in front of a restaurant, it is best to find out in advance. If CovidCheck is in force, ten people can gather around a table, without masks or distancing. They must, of course, prove that they have all tested negative, been fully vaccinated or cured by means of a certified QR code, which is impossible to duplicate fraudulently, according to the government.
Restaurants choosing not to apply CovidCheck must comply with several rules: each table can only seat a maximum of four people (unless the people are part of the same household or cohabiting). On the terrace, each table can only accommodate a maximum of ten people (unless the people are part of the same household or cohabiting). Customers must wear masks, except at the table.
In addition, tables must be separated by a distance of at least 1.5 metres or by a physical separation that limits the risk of infection.
Belgium does not require a sanitary pass to eat in restaurants. Only wearing a mask is compulsory (except at the table) and tables are limited to eight people (or more, if the people belong to the same household). Cafés and restaurants are open from 5 am to 1 am.
The rules are more complicated in restaurants across the Rhine, where each state has its own rules. For example, in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, indoor and outdoor dining is possible without a reservation and without presenting a sanitary pass.
In Saarland, on the other hand, you cannot enter without a health pass, proof of recovery, an antigen test or a negative PCR test less than 24 hours old for indoor meals. Reservations are required and the number of people per table is limited to ten.
But the rules will become stricter from 23 August, as the sanitary pass is extended to the whole country. Non-vaccinated people will have to present a negative test. Rapid antigen tests should not be older than 24 hours and PCR tests should not be older than 48 hours.
Moreover, Germany will end free testing for Covid-19 in October, hoping to revive a stagnant vaccination campaign.
