Face masks to be mandatory in French workplaces
It will be compulsory to wear face masks in most French workplaces from 1 September, a government official has confirmed.
The new rules will likely be implemented in shared indoor workspaces, such as offices and factories, as the country’s coronavirus rate continues to increase.
The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals in France remains low, however its rate of infection is above the level considered to be “high risk” by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
France saw 3,310 new infections in the 24 hours to Saturday night, which was the highest number since Emanuel Macron eased the country’s lockdown on 13 May.
The UK moved to add France to its quarantine list last Thursday night, with the new restrictions coming into place just days later on Saturday.
France’s employment minister Élisabeth Borne first flagged the potential of introducing face masks in offices yesterday.
Face masks are already compulsory in all indoor public spaces in France.
Borne told the local press: “A theme that appears in all scientific opinions is the value of wearing masks when there are several people in a confined space.
“The obligation to wear masks will apply in meeting rooms where there is no natural ventilation and in areas where people are moving about.”
France’s addition to the quarantine list saw British tourists scrambling to get home last week before the new restrictions were put in place.
According to transport secretary Grant Shapps, there were roughly 160,000 UK holidaymakers in France that were caught out by the government’s decision to impose a travel quarantine on arrivals.