Emmanuel Macron said that there are signs that the epidemic is “accelerating a little” (File)
Paris:
French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he was in favor of wearing face masks in indoor public spaces to limit the coronavirus pandemic, warning that there were signs that infections in France were picking up.
“I would like to make masks mandatory in all closed public spaces,” he said in a television interview, saying that such a measure could come into effect on August 1.
Responding to concerns that infections are on the rise again in France, he added: “We have indications that (the epidemic) is accelerating a bit”.
He indicated in particular that the reproduction rate of the virus, the “R” ratio, had exceeded one in France, which means that only one person infected with COVID-19 is likely to spread the disease to others.
Masks are already mandatory in public transport across France, “but it’s a bit uneven in closed public spaces,” said Macron.
Prominent doctors urged the government this week to demand masks to avoid a second wave of cases that could again overwhelm hospitals.
The mayor of Saint-Ouen, a suburb just north of Paris, made it compulsory to wear a mask on Monday after the discovery of several cases of coronavirus in a school.
When asked if France had enough masks in case of a new peak, Macron replied: “We will be ready”.
“We have secured stocks and sources of supply, and we are organized in the field, to allow us to face an upsurge, if it occurs,” he said in a rare television interview with the on the occasion of the national holiday of July 14.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
