France accelerates plans to order face masks over COVID-19 fears

PARIS (Reuters) – France on Thursday accelerated plans to make the use of face masks compulsory in closed public spaces due to concerns about renewed COVID-19 outbreaks.

President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the use of masks would be mandatory in places like shops from August 1, citing signs that the coronavirus was “coming back a little.”

But on Thursday, Prime Minister Jean Castex said the order will take effect next week. Until now, it has been mandatory to use facial coatings only on public transport and in public spaces where social distancing is not possible.

“We were considering implementing (this measure) on August 1,” Castex told the Senate. “I heard and understood that this deadline was late or raised some questions, so the decree will take effect next week.”

Health Minister Olivier Veran, speaking in the lower house of parliament, encouraged people to start wearing masks now, without waiting for the decree, and called the masks a matter of social responsibility.

Official figures show that the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths has slowed in France since the end of May. The disease has killed more than 30,000 people in France and is spreading again in some areas.

The Mayenne prefecture in the northwest said that the use of face masks was now mandatory in its main city, Laval, and five other municipalities: Bonchamp-lès-Laval, Changé, L’Huisserie, Louverné and Saint-Berthevin.

There has been a localized outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the region, and now the Ministry of Health has re-classified it as a higher risk area.

Macron also said Tuesday that he wanted coronavirus testing to be available to everyone, without having to be referred by a doctor. He said the expected job losses due to the pandemic posed a great challenge.