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Despite the number of cases of contamination on the rise, the government’s schedule is being respected. From February 2, several restrictions are eased concerning the wearing of masks outdoors, teleworking or gauges in places open to the public.
As Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on January 20, the timetable for easing restrictions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic begins on Wednesday February 2. As of today, wearing a mask outdoors is no longer mandatory. The Paris police headquarters took the opportunity to recall the measure in a press release published via its Twitter account. She also points out that barrier gestures are still relevant (social distancing, regular hand washing, use of hydroalcoholic gel and regular ventilation of closed places) and recalls that wearing a mask outdoors “remains recommended when distancing is not possible”.
Free FFP2 masks for the most fragile
This February 2 also marks the arrival of FFP2 masks delivered free of charge in pharmacies for immunocompromised people. “Dispensary pharmacies deliver free of charge, on presentation of supporting documents, FFP2 masks, which are not part of the national stock, to people at risk of severe forms of Covid-19 and immunocompromised, for whom vaccination does not induce the production and maintenance of an antibody titer at a level sufficient to provide sufficient protection or in whom an illness or treatment leads to a rapid drop in the level of antibodies, the ability to withstand wearing this type of mask for several hours and to daily use”specifies the decree of the Ministry of Health published in the Official Journal.
Telecommuting recommended and disappearance of gauges
The other two restrictions that are disappearing today relate to teleworking, which is no longer compulsory but simply “recommended“, and the gauges for places receiving a seated public, in particular in stadiums and cultural places. The wearing of a mask and the vaccination pass will remain in force for these places.
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Other restrictions will disappear on February 16
Other restrictions should disappear on February 16: nightclubs will be able to reopen, concerts will again be authorized as well as consumption at the counter in bars, as well as in stadiums, cinemas and transport. A lifting of restrictions in connection with the slight improvement in the health situation even if it is still precarious, as government spokesperson Gabriel Attal points out to our colleagues from France Info: “For the past few days, we have seen a still fragile reversal of the trend, with fewer cases declared each day than seven days earlier, this is a very encouraging signal..
Indeed, the number of declared cases is down (322,256 against 366,179 a week ago), but hospitalizations are increasing and the number of cases in intensive care remains relatively stable. This encourages us to remain cautious because the Omicron variant remains highly contagious, as does its BA.2 sub-variant.