Covid: in Charente-Maritime, return of the compulsory mask outdoors in 45 tourist municipalities

Wearing a mask outdoors becomes mandatory again on Tuesday in Charente-Maritime in 45 tourist towns such as Ile de Ré or La Rochelle while the department is facing a "rapid and worrying development" of the Covid-19 epidemic, the prefecture announced Monday in a press release. From Ile d'Oléron to the seaside resorts of Royan and Châtelaillon-Plage ... Prefect Nicolas Basselier has ordered the extension of outdoor masks for everyone from 11 years old in 45 tourist towns, except at the beach , in the forest and in parks and gardens, the prefecture told AFP. 

The prefecture justified this turn of the screw by a "brutal degradation" of epidemic indicators.

"This situation is already having an impact on economic activity with the number of closures of establishments, following positive cases or cases of contact among staff," said the prefecture in its press release.

In all, about twenty bars and restaurants had to close, indicates a prefectural source to AFP.

Regular contaminations in 10-19 year olds

In Charente-Maritime, the incidence rate reached 145.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants on Tuesday against 63/100,000 for France and 79.7 for the region where it appears to be the department most affected by the epidemic recovery. The outbreak is particularly marked among 10-19 year olds where this rate reaches 395/100 000 and 20-29 year olds where it soars to 545/100 000, according to the prefecture. "The deterioration of the situation is explained mainly by the mixing of populations in the middle of the summer season, by the relaxation of respect for barrier gestures and by the very rapid spread of the Delta variant", specifies the prefectural press release.

In the other communes of the department, the mask remains in force outdoors in certain places and situations such as markets, public events such as concerts and open-air shows, near train stations, vaccination centers, hospitals, shopping centers. The consumption of alcohol on public roads, outside authorized terraces, is also prohibited throughout the department from Tuesday and until August 31 inclusive, in order to avoid regrouping.