Some employees of cultural venues had to turn into bouncers overnight. When other places recruit students to check the health passes of patients in front of hospitals. Since the obligation to show white paw or rather green QR code to make a canvas, sing in a festival since July 21, get on a train or enter the hospital since August 9 and do your shopping in a department store since Monday, a new job seems to be recruiting: health pass controller. How do they experience this new mission or this summer job on a daily basis? 20 minutes gave them the floor.
“A lot of trouble for us who want to promote access to culture for all”
Anaïs, 30, didn’t really appreciate becoming a controller. But his museum was unable to hire a specific team, “our director explained the situation to us, how the application works, and it was up to us to manage”. In fact, restaurateurs, bartenders, reception teams at cultural venues have for a few weeks now had to ask visitors to show their QR code, either on paper or on the TousantiCovid application. The controllers ensure with the‘TousAntiCovid application Check that these are valid. Green when everything is ok, red if not.
“The first week was psychologically terrible for us,” admits Anaïs. Despite the very understanding behavior of visitors, we had a lot of trouble asking them for their pass to be able to access an exhibition, we who want to promote access to culture for all! We are now able to ask for it more calmly, but it is extremely complicated for us to have to refuse them entry when they do not have their health pass. As for visitors, fortunately they have always been understanding to this day. “
Same echo on the side of Hugo, a young man who works at the reception of a Parisian cinema. In a few seconds, he takes a look at the passes of moviegoers. “Overall, things are going well with the public,” he assures us. Afterwards, it’s a bit absurd because I don’t check my identity document… ”Isabelle, 58, manages an independent cinema in Indre-et-Loire. And for her, too, things are going smoothly. “Our spectators are rather amused by the simplicity of the thing, confides this Internet user. The application is installed on a smartphone without a SIM card or Internet connection and this pleased the volunteers. And the stopping of the wearing of the mask during the sessions is very appreciated by the spectators. “In fact, in some cinemas, but not all, the mask is no longer mandatory since the entry into force of the pass.
Sort consultations by appointment and emergencies in front of hospitals and clinics
If on the side of cultural leisure, according to our accounts, difficulties seem rare, it is another kettle of fish when controls take place in front of hospitals. It’s not easy to explain to worried families or suffering patients that they should be provided with the precious sesame before talking to a doctor. Floriane, 20, was recruited specifically to control health passes in front of a clinic since August 9, along with seven other young people. All were trained during a short information meeting to learn how the application works. “We always welcome patients polite and cordial, we ask them if they have an appointment or if they come for an emergency and we systematically ask for the health pass except for the latter. “Indeed, if the precious document has become mandatory in all hospitals and clinics, it does not concern emergencies.
“We’re a bit of an outlet for unhappy people”
“We end up with very understanding people, who willingly show it to us because they know they have no choice and who wish us good luck, others who are totally indifferent and who barely give us a break. Hello. And others, more problematic, who quickly become irritated and unpleasant, although we tell them that we are only following the instructions we are given … We are a bit of an outlet for unhappy people, but the the majority of people are either indifferent or really very nice to us, and that gives balm to the heart. We also have people who seem absolutely unaware that the health pass exists… Either they live in another reality, or they have a good acting game! », Quips the twenty-something.
If during the first week, flexibility was required, since Monday, things get tough. “It is sometimes complicated to ask the people who accompany patients or who come to pick them up after an operation to wait outside for them to go out, to refuse visits to patients without a doctor’s dispensation… We have had real people. aggressive towards us, who ask us condescendingly if “we young people were at least vaccinated?”. Obviously, that would be a shame… ”
Floriane is not necessarily helped when small bugs prevent people with the health pass from getting their green light. “Sometimes, the application does not work 100%, it is sometimes difficult to correctly capture the QR code on the sheets when they are folded, when the printing is not of good quality, and even on the phones we sometimes can’t scan them, so we read the information ourselves. So it is possible that we had fake QR codes… ”
It seems that all the controllers are not necessarily very careful, nor very in agreement with this novelty which divides French society. François *, 26, took his controller hat reluctantly. “I am unvaccinated and anti-ax, but I accepted this job because I really needed the money and I’m struggling to find a job. I have already let a guy who had a female first name pass on his health pass… A health pass checker is not necessarily a pro pass. “
* The first name has been changed.