21/03/2023

Critics say the free Covid-19 programme is ineffective and could be misused for surveillance.

Different measures are required in different parts of the countryImage caption: Different measures are required in different parts of the country
New rules of the mearing of face masks in workplace come into force in France. The government has been criticised on more than one occasion during this crisis, for confused messages on masks.
According to one paper, the rules for wearing masks in offices are now more complicated than French grammar.
Earlier this month, the employment ministry said face masks would be made systematic – that is “systematic”, not “mandatory” – for all employees in shared workspaces, including corridors, meeting rooms and changing rooms.
Now it has published detailed criteria for when employees can remove their masks, with different measures required in different parts of the country, depending on how widely coronavirus is circulating there.
In less affected areas, masks can be temporarily removed if the building has enough ventilation, desks are divided by screens or staff wear visors.
In “red zones” like Paris, each employee needs four sq m (43 sq ft) of space around them if they want to take their mask off.
The country is facing its biggest test in tackling the virus since the end of lockdown, as schools reopen and people return to work after the summer break.
The number of new cases of coronavirus in France has risen to around 30,000 a week – up fourfold from the start of the summer.