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Covid 19 and French mountain huts

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 RX-78 23 Aug 2021

Well, alpine, but not mountaineering, just high level hiking. Anyway just wondering if any one has recent experience of staying in French alpine refuges recently (last few weeks,) and how the health measures against covid-19 are in practice? 

2
 gooberman-hill 23 Aug 2021
In reply to RX-78:

It's very easy to get the French Covid pass app (Apple / Android App store), and upload your UK vaccination QR codes.

But that said, while I needed the app in the cafes in Chamonix, they weren't asked for at the Tete Rousse hut on Mt Blanc.

Steve

OP RX-78 24 Aug 2021
In reply to gooberman-hill:

Thanks Steve, in the hut what did you have to do differently than before due to covid, if anything? 

 wjcdean 24 Aug 2021
In reply to RX-78:

I stayed in the torino hut a few times last week. It was never particularly full, people were good at wearing masks and there are perspex barriers separating sections of tables. lifts are crammed but everyone wear masks. 

if you are a covid worrier you probably won't enjoy it. As a youngish person I'm not too fussed personallly and the chances of actually being in close proximity to someone who has it while on a lift is low given the number of cases, plus you aren't near them for that long anyway. It will always be a calculate risk.

Hope that's helpful anyway.

make sure you have your vaccine certificate... you will need it.

3
 gooberman-hill 24 Aug 2021
In reply to RX-78:

I wore a mask!

 andrew morris 24 Aug 2021
In reply to RX-78:

I stayed in the Temple Ecrins hut in July (before the implementation of the pass sanitaire) and frankly, apart from reduced capacity in the bunk beds where they'd reduced each section from three to two beds, and some superficial mask wearing on arrival, there was very little difference from pre-Covid times. For example, the evening meal was served communally as before, so people at my table were passing around everyone's food/cutlery/water without any hesitation.

I suspect there is quite a lot of vaccine/Covid scepticism in the French mountain community so I wouldn't count on a rigorous application of the rules. On the other hand I'd imagine it is still a healthier environment than sitting every day on the Paris metro.

 DaveHK 25 Aug 2021
In reply to andrew morris:

> I suspect there is quite a lot of vaccine/Covid scepticism in the French mountain community 

I think that there's a great deal of scepticism in France in general.

1
 Fredt 25 Aug 2021
In reply to gooberman-hill:

> It's very easy to get the French Covid pass app (Apple / Android App store), and upload your UK vaccination QR codes.

What’s the name of the App please? I’m struggling to find it.

 innes 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Fredt:

> What’s the name of the App please? I’m struggling to find it.

TousAntiCovid

Post edited at 08:34
 chris bedford 25 Aug 2021

In chamonix / Les Houches we showed cafes/restaurants the second of the two vaccination QR codes (which we expanded to fill the whole screen) and they managed to scan that just fine. They did seem to be very ‘on it’ in terms of control measures - masks on public transport / in shops / whenever you move from your table, and even in the high street. If there is scepticism everyone is still doing their bit to keep things under control.

 Fredt 25 Aug 2021
In reply to innes:

> TousAntiCovid

Many thanks, (there are two Apps with the same name, one is a test and trace, and the other is the pass).

 yorkshireman 25 Aug 2021
In reply to DaveHK:

> > I suspect there is quite a lot of vaccine/Covid scepticism in the French mountain community 

> I think that there's a great deal of scepticism in France in general.

Not in general. There's a loud minority but on the whole people are quite accepting of the measures and I heard that we've not overtaken the percentage vaccination rates (both first and second jab) of the UK.

I found it weird last week coming to the UK and most people not wearing a mask in supermarkets, service stations etc.

1
 Vronski 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Fredt:

My understanding of this: TousAntiCovid is the app you need (although according to the Fr consulate site a paper copy of your NHS vaccination status QR codes should suffice.) The TAC Verif app is for scanning and recognising the QR codes of others ie for business users. The TAC from the App Store is in English and very user friendly - it won't recognise the NHS certificate as it has 2 QR codes so instead scan them (it is a clear option) individually to save in the in-app wallet. Once saved they are clearly identified as 1 of 2 and 2 of 2.

Post edited at 14:34
 Doug 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Vronski:

I haven't loaded the app on to my phone but do have a French paper certificate - which has 2QR codes

 James FR 25 Aug 2021
In reply to RX-78:

No need for any apps, they can scan the NHS QR code with no problems (either paper or on a phone).

I'm not commenting about scepticism but in most places you will definitely need your QR code for restaurants, some shopping centres, cinemas, long train journeys, etc. And a mask.

 Vronski 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Doug:

Ah, different format or more likely; user error! The scan version seemed to be successful - the second scan was followed by a ticker tape celebratory animation saying I was fully vaccinated.... it will be in use from Sunday so I will see!

In reply to RX-78:

As already noted above, in huts all over the Alps this summer the extent to which covid regulations are enforced is pretty variable. If you're worried I would give them a miss, you'll likely be eating dinner with others/ be in an unventilated dining room full of people not wearing masks/ could be in mixed group bedrooms etc.

Mask wearing is also pretty variable, with the tone set by guardians. In some huts it's fairly strict, in others no masks at all.

Not a problem if you're comfortable with that.

1
 99ster 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Vronski:

Thanks for the info on the app version - there's loads of Brits being confused by trying to use the TAC Verif app by mistake...

I just scanned the 2nd QR code from the NHS PDF for the 2nd vaccination and it was happy with that & displays 'vaccination 2 of 2'....

 DaveHK 25 Aug 2021
In reply to yorkshireman:

> Not in general. There's a loud minority but on the whole people are quite accepting of the measures and I heard that we've not overtaken the percentage vaccination rates (both first and second jab) of the UK.

I appreciate that was a bit of a throw away comment I made up thread but it was in fact based on a fairly long conversation with French Erick of this parish.

Recently returned from his homeland I'm afraid he painted a picture of something far more worrying and widespread than a loud minority.

Post edited at 19:54

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