Paris makes face masks mandatory in busy outdoor areas including strolls along the Seine and browsing outdoor markets as Covid cases spike in French capital
- Paris has made face masks mandatory in busy outdoor areas, starting Monday
- The order applies to areas including the River Seine and open-air markets
- Tourist sites, such as the Eiffel Tower, were not listed in the French capital’s order
- France made it compulsory to wear a mask in closed public spaces since July 21
Parisians and holidaymakers must wear face masks in busy outdoor areas, after authorities in the French capital imposed new measures to curb a rise in coronavirus cases.
Face masks will be compulsory for those aged 11 and over ‘in certain very crowded zones’ in Paris from Monday morning, a police statement said on August 8.
This includes the banks of the River Seine, open-air markets and more than 100 streets in the French capital.
Parisians and holidaymakers must wear face mask in busy outdoor spaces from Monday, a police statement said on August 8. Pictured, people wear face masks in Paris on August 7
But tourist sites, including the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysees boulevard, were not listed.
The decision was widely expected after a formal request earlier in the week by mayor Anne Hidalgo.
Authorities said in a statement on Saturday that the rate of positive coronavirus tests was 2.4% in the greater Paris area, compared to a national average of 1.6%.
France had made it compulsory to wear a face mask in closed public spaces, such as shops and banks, since July 21.
Paris joins a growing list of cities ordering people to wear masks in busy zones outdoors, including Toulouse, Lille and Biarritz.
Those breaching the order face a fine of 135 euros, with the penalty rising to six months in prison for anyone breaching it more than three times in a month. The Paris regulation will last a month.
The order includes the River Seine and more than 100 streets in the French capital. But tourist sites, including the Eiffel Tower (pictured on May 11), were not listed
Data has showed that coronavirus had begun circulating more widely in Paris and its lower-income suburbs since mid-July.
The rate of positive tests in the greater Paris region now stood at 2.4% compared with a national average of 1.6%, the data said.
After tough lockdown measures slowed infection rates, many European countries are now watching new clusters flare up after easing restrictions to try to limit the economic damage and alleviate public frustration.
France reported a staggering 2,288 new coronavirus cases on Friday, marking a new post-lockdown high.