A small step towards a return to life as it was before, perhaps this summer... As the Covid-19 vaccination campaign continues, with 54,677,681 people having received their first injection of vaccine to date, when will it finally be possible to remove one's mask outdoors, a measure imposed by many cities since the summer of 2020?
This question is being answered with increasing precision by several members of the government. On June 2, Emmanuel Macron indicated that the mask would remain compulsory during the month of June, but that the measure could be lifted gradually: he mentioned certain places, such as forests, where the French should be officially authorized not to wear masks. However, as far as crowded places are concerned, the head of state indicated that this restriction should be lifted territorially.
On Sunday June 6, 2021, Health Minister Olivier Véran spoke out on the subject:"What's certain is that until the end of June, during the month of June, we're not asking ourselves whether the wearing of masks outdoors should be relaxed at national level. What isalso certain is that the French will not be asked to wear a mask one day longer than necessary", explained Olivier Véran.
Olivier Véran(@olivierveran): "We won't be asking the French to wear the mask outside one day more than necessary" pic.twitter.com/NuZXTr2pgQ
- BFMTV (@BFMTV) June 6, 2021
However,"if you're alone or a few people in a very large, airy space such as a beach, a mountain, a forest, a park, a deserted street, then we should be able to quickly revisit the obligation to wear a mask in this situation", he added, before continuing:"If the circulation of the virus continues to drop, this will be quickly considered".
To everyone's surprise, Jean Castex announced this Wednesday, June 16, 2021, that the mandatory wearing of masks outdoors would be lifted as of Thursday, June 17, 2021.
https://www.sortiraparis.com/actualites/coronavirus/articles/238744-covid-la-fin-du-masque-obligatoire-en-exterieur-a-paris-annoncee-par-jean-castex
Please note: this in no way means the end of mask wearing in general, just outdoors and provided the health situation allows it. Masks should still be worn in enclosed spaces or gatherings for some time to come, until collective immunity is achieved.
What do the experts think? Speaking to Europe 1, Professor Philippe Amouyel, a doctor at the Lille University Hospital, said that the mask could be abandoned once France has fallen below the threshold of 5,000 contaminations per day, provided that the vaccination campaign is stepped up. More recently, Jérôme Salomon, France's Director General of Health, mentioned July 1 as a deadline by which the wearing of masks could be phased out.
Follow vaccination data in France day by day :
Vaccination in France: where do we stand Thursday July 13, 2023? Number of people vaccinated by region
How many people have received a first dose of covid-19 vaccine in France? Which regions are vaccinated the most? This Thursday July 13, 2023, we discover the number of people have received a first injection as well as those who are fully vaccinated in France since December 27, 2020. Click here to see the distribution of the number of people vaccinated or having received a booster dose by region. [Read more]
Vaccination in France: where do we stand Thursday July 13, 2023? Number of people vaccinated by region
