Covid-19 in France: in certain areas, wearing a mask may be mandatory outside

The authorities prepare the spirits for the obligation to wear, locally, the mask outside. Wearing a mask may be imposed in areas where the Covid-19 epidemic is on the rise. A decision has already been taken in this direction, Friday, July 31, for the metropolis of Lille.

"The prefects will now be able, by decree, to extend the obligation to wear a mask to open public places. This decision can be taken locally, depending on the evolution of the epidemic in each territory", announced in a tweet the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran.

To limit the circulation of # COVID__19, the prefects can now by decree extend the obligation to wear a mask to open public places.
This decision can be made locally, depending on the evolution of the epidemic in each territory.

Authorities warn of increased circulation of the coronavirus, nearly three months after confinement ended, and as summer encourages festive outdoor gatherings.

They justify the mask on the outside by the evidence that accumulates to say that Covid-19 is transmitted via fine droplets suspended in the air exhaled by patients (the "aerosols"), and not only via postilions.

"The management of the epidemic in France is serious," Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Friday, visiting Ain in the midst of a heat wave.

Certain areas of the metropolis of Lille, Perros-Guirec, but also in Mayenne ...

Responding to these warnings, the prefect of the North for his part announced that wearing a mask would be compulsory in public space from Monday in "a number of areas" of the European metropolis of Lille. In Perros-Guirec (Côtes-d'Armor), certain areas are also concerned, the prefecture in turn indicated. The prefect of Mayenne had already taken the same decision on Tuesday for four municipalities.

At the municipal level, Biarritz, Bayonne, Saint-Malo and Orléans imposed Thursday the wearing of the mask outside, in their center or the markets. Le Touquet (Pas-de-Calais) will apply this measure from Saturday in its city center.

# COVID__19 impose not to re-limit! After the announcement of @olivierveran, the prefect imposes the mask in most of the most frequented places of @MEL_Lille All the measurements here: https://t.co/Y0LNkuZGlo pic.twitter.com/Bfh3F7AVuQ

"Sustained circulation"

During a trip to the Yvelines on Wednesday, Olivier Véran had urged to wear a mask outdoors: "If you are in a street where there are several people going for a walk and you are not sure you can keep the distance , I recommand it".

This position contrasts radically with the message of the authorities at the start of the epidemic. In the midst of a shortage of masks, they ensured that the mask was intended for caregivers and the sick and that it was "useless for anyone in the street", in the words of the Director General of Health (DGS), Jérôme Salomon .

However, the discourse has evolved over the weeks (and scientific knowledge), until it resulted in an obligation in all closed public places, on July 20.

In recent weeks, the public authorities have been increasing the number of warnings. "The circulation of the virus is sustained with an increasing number of daily cases exceeding 1,000", repeated the DGS, Thursday. For the first time since April 9, the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care has increased, albeit a tiny one (+1), in 24 hours, for a total of 381 people.

With AFP

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