The pressure of the Covid is easing in France, which encourages the government to loosen the screw. In parallel with the reduction of the protocol at school, which will take place at the end of the school holidays (depending on the zone), the Minister of Health Olivier Véran also wishes to abandon the wearing of the mask in closed places subject to the vaccination pass. With the notable exception of transport (buses, trains, planes, etc.). A date has been set: February 28.
Concretely, the end of wearing a mask will therefore concern restaurants, bars – where standing consumption will be reintroduced on February 16 – but also in establishments dedicated to leisure activities (concert halls, shows, cinemas and theaters, games rooms ), fairs, hearing rooms, conferences, screenings, meetings, museums, libraries…
“The vaccination pass allows us in a context where the epidemic pressure is greatly reduced, and as we have already done before this wave, to remove the obligation to wear a mask in establishments open to the public”, indicated Olivier Véran. at AFP. “Wearing a mask indoors will be maintained in transport and enclosed places not subject to the vaccination pass. As a reminder, since February 2, 2022, wearing a mask is no longer required outdoors. Wearing a mask remains recommended in case of grouping of people with a high density”, specifies a press release from the Ministry of Health.
Too early ?
“Common sense dictates that we go there gradually”, also commented Prime Minister Jean Castex, during a special news on France 2. “But if the vast majority of our fellow citizens behave responsibly, we should to be able to finish alleviating these constraints.” The Prime Minister confirmed that the abandonment of the vaccination pass was “within our reach”. “But we must have the opinion of our scientific authorities,” he said.
Asked by L’Express, the infectious disease specialist at Raymond-Poincaré hospital, Benjamin Davido, also considers this delay credible. On the other hand, he is more skeptical about the decision to abandon the mask in closed places subject to the vaccination pass. This could make the situation “unreadable”, because the measure will remain valid in other very busy closed places such as supermarkets or convenience stores. The possibility of meeting people both in places subject to the mask, and then shortly afterwards, in places that are not, will thus be higher. The timing is finally subject to questioning. “The epidemic pressure should, of course, ease at the end of March, but why give this date of the 28th now? By waiting a little longer, we can have more perspective, in particular on the hospital situation, where the pressure remains substantial. In the end, the government does not seem to rely too much on indicators…”, blows the expert.
On Thursday, there were still 174,991 daily cases on average over the last seven days, and more than 33,000 people are still hospitalized, including 3,500 in intensive care. Figures, however, down over the week.