Covid-19 certificates

The timeline of Covid certificates in France

May 2021, a national Covid certificate, the 'pass sanitaire' was adopted for big events only.
End of June 2021, the pass sanitaire became compatible with the EU Green Digital Certificate.
Mid July 2021, the French government generalized the use of Covid certificates to all public spaces (e.g. restaurants, cinemas, train stations, etc).
End of November 2021, Covid certificates integrated booster doses.
Mid January 2022, Covid certificates are replaced by vaccines certificates.

A digital health pass can be used to control the risk of a cluster in social gatherings or travels.

We propose a system which is fair and efficient:

People have a 'green pass' when they are vaccinated, immune or have a recent negative test.
Places have a 'green', 'orange' or 'red' code dependent on the conditions of the interaction (outdoors vs indoors, ventilation, density, health protocols)

A simple matching rule for reopening should be fixed by health authorities, such as:

people with a green pass can go everywhere, and essential places are open to everyone
in zones where the virus circulates (orange or red zones), places at highest risk of transmission should adopt a health pass to ensure a safe reopening

The effect of COVID-19 certificates on vaccine uptake, health outcomes, and the economy, M. Oliu-Barton, B. Pradelski. N. Woloszko, L. Guetta-Jeanreneaud, P. Aghion, P. Artus, A. Fontanet, P. Martin, G. Wolff. Nature Communications (2022). Pre-published as a working paper in CAE & Bruegel (Jan 2022), and covered by Nature here.
Covid-19 : « Le passe sanitaire doit servir à accélérer les doses de rappel », M. Oliu-Barton, B. Pradelski. Le Monde (24 Nov 2021).
Le recours temporaire à un passe sanitaire est nécessaire si nous voulons une sortie de crise durable, with P. Aghion, P. Martin, and B. Pradelski, Le Monde (2 June 2021)
Health pass and green zones: how to contain the virus while vaccination progresses, M. Oliu-Barton, B. Pradelski, A. Bucher. Esade EcPol (26 May 2021), Spanish here
Le pass sanitaire : une opportunité pour recouvrer nos libertés tout en restant prudents, M. Oliu-Barton, B. Pradelski, A. Bucher. Terra Nova (20 April 2021)

Other contributions

Pass sanitaire : quel rôle dans la sortie de crise ? P. Aghion, P. Martin, M. Oliu-Barton, B. Pradelski (26 May 2021). Unpublished.
Utilisation d'un pass sanitaire lors de grands rassemblements, Avis du Conseil Scientifique (6 May 2021).
COVID certificates – contentious but effective ? M. Oliu-Barton, B. Pradelski. Behaviourial & Social Sciences - Nature (July 2022).
Le passe sanitaire : comment encadrer son utilisation ?, L'Humanité (17 May 2021).

Academix. Nature (USA).
Press. Financial Times, The Economist (UK); Le Monde, Les Echos, Libération, Figaro, 20 minutes, Le Dauphiné, L'Express, La Croix (France); La Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, Il Foglio (Italy); Die Welt (Germany); La Gazeta (Poland)
TV. BBC (UK), French National TV (France 2, journal de 20h), BFM TV, BFM Business, LCI (France); Italian National TV (Rai 1); TV3 (Spain)
Radio. USA National Public Radio (NPR), French National radios: France Info (1), France Inter (2), France Culture (3); Radio France Internationale, Radio NotreDame.