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28 August 2020 France anticipates the return of the infections expected for the autumn: it is a record of people infected with coronavirus cases quadrupled in a month. This frightens the government that after Marseille decided to make the mask mandatory - everywhere - in public places, even in Paris. The obligation is in effect from 8 am today.The municipality specified that people are not allowed to take off their masks to smoke or eat in public places, but police said they will use "reasonableness", suggesting some degree of tolerance. The measure announced by Prime Minister Jean Castex follows similar rules introduced in Marseille.
An hour after the obligation came into force, the decision that saved the army of bicycles arrived : those who ride on two wheels, but also those who go out for the daily run, are not obliged to cover their faces. The decision to also have cyclists wear masks had appeared illogical since yesterday, when it was announced at the end of the press conference by Prime Minister Jean Castex by two of his ministers. On the web, the legion of two wheels - very powerful and now very numerous in Paris - had given life to a real revolt in the name of the war on cars that the municipality has been leading for years: with the new rule, the privilege of not wearing a mask it would be reserved for motorists only.
"You will not be able to require a mask from people who exercise a physical activity such as running or cycling . " The many Parisians who whiz on the "trottinette", the scooter, and those who travel by motorbike or moped remain suspended, because they are not mentioned in the press release.
France yesterday reported 6,111 new cases of Covid-19 after more than 5,000 the previous day. The figure increased in August.
The Directorate-General for Health reported having carried out 864,395 swabs in the last week, also a record figure. There are 381 hospitalizations and 32 victims in the last 48 hours, which brings the overall total to 30,576.
The President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron for the first time spoke in front of the press wearing an anti-Covid mask. The French president anticipates on twitter the 100 billion euro economic and industrial recovery plan to overcome the pandemic crisis: the plan, called france relance, will be presented next Thursday by Prime Minister Jean Castex.
"It is particularly ambitious: one of the most important in Europe compared to GDP", explains the head of the Elysée: it is "100 billion euros, not to rebuild our economy identical to before", but "to make of france a cutting-edge economy and to offer a job to all ".
The plan "will allow companies to breathe again, to invest more, to be more and more competitive", reads a series of tweets from Macron announcing "20 billion euros in production tax cuts". another "15 billion will be allocated to support innovation and the relocation of strategic technologies and in particular one billion euro in direct aid", for the future of the green economy. It aims to "build a model of the future, based on knowledge, ecology and ecological transition", based "on skills": "that is, investing in women and men, and above all in our young people", said the head of the Elysée.
"Our ambition is to produce again in France", explains the president, adding that "health and industrial sovereignty will be one of the pillars of the recovery plan".