The compulsory wearing of the mask in Paris will be extended from Saturday morning 8 a.m. to many areas of the capital including part of the Champs-Elysées, the Louvre district and that of the Batignolles, announced Friday the Paris police prefect. "If the epidemiological situation were to deteriorate again, the wearing of a mask could become compulsory throughout the capital," he said. Gatherings and demonstrations of more than ten people which do not guarantee compliance with the barrier measures will also be prohibited.
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Since Monday, the mask was mandatory in Paris in some areas of the city, including the tracks on the bank. Paris has since been classified on Friday, like the Bouches-du-Rhône, a department in which the circulation of the virus is active.
"Every day, around 600 people test positive for Covid-19 in the region, including 260 in Paris. The positivity rate today stands at 4.14% in Paris, at 3.6% in Ile-de- France against 2.4% on the national average ", according to the prefecture. The 15-45 year olds are the most affected, even if the other age groups are not spared.
Reinforced controls
Where the mask is not mandatory, it is recommended to wear it when there are a lot of people. In addition, controls ensuring compliance with barrier gestures will be reinforced in bars, restaurants and on terraces. In the event of non-compliance with these rules, the establishments could be administratively closed. Controls on wearing masks in public transport will also be stepped up.
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Prime Minister Jean Castex, fearing a return to a health system "under strain", on Tuesday called on the French to pull themselves together to avoid a resumption of the epidemic, asking the prefects to extend their obligation in public spaces. Long presented as "useless" by the authorities, the mask became compulsory in public places closed on July 20. Since then, the prefects have been authorized to impose it externally "when local circumstances require it". Many municipalities have already implemented it, such as Nice, Rennes, Lille, Marseille, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, or Lyon.