And Jean Castex once again became a deconfinement gentleman.
The Prime Minister spoke on Wednesday to announce the good news.
"The health situation in our country is improving faster than we had hoped," he announced at the outset.
Alongside his Minister of Health Olivier Véran, the head of government congratulated himself on seeing the country pass - finally - under the bar of 5,000 contaminations per day.
The famous threshold below which Emmanuel Macron wanted to pass before the second wave.
This threshold supposed to make it possible to control the epidemic in the country, by tracing with the greatest possible efficiency all patients and their contact cases.
Read also End of wearing a mask, lifting of the curfew, vaccination ... what to remember from Jean Castex's announcements
These excellent epidemic indicators prompted the executive to loosen the screw faster than expected.
In the midst of a heat wave, the time was probably right to free the French from wearing the compulsory mask.
From Thursday, in the street, the French will be able to do without it.
“We are going to lift the general obligation to wear a mask outside,” confirmed Jean Castex.
This decision is based on an opinion from the High Council of Public Health, which the government says it took into account "without delay".
The decree being drafted
Concretely, what will change on Thursday in our daily life? At the time of this writing, the implementing decree was being drafted. But Jean Castex has already set the main lines of what will be implemented tomorrow. Thus, the general rule is that wearing a mask is now the exception. In a year and a half, the French have learned to live with the mask, they have taken the reflex to protect themselves.
In the street, it will therefore no longer be necessary to wear it.
On the other hand, the decree should specify all the cases in which it will be required.
The Prime Minister has already delivered the content.
Thus, the French will have to hide their faces each time we "regroup".
This will be the case, for example, whenever we find ourselves in a queue.
But also when using public transport.
Overall, the mask should be worn globally in all enclosed public areas.
It should therefore also be worn in shops.
Wearing or not wearing a mask will however not only depend on whether you are in an enclosed place or outdoors.
Thus, the supporters will have to keep the mask when they go to the stadium.
It should also be worn during concerts.
The epidemic is considered to be under control, but experience shows that the French must still be vigilant. Respect for barrier gestures, despite the context of epidemic reflux, remains decisive. Because examples close to us show that the situation can very quickly change. Hasn't the United Kingdom postponed for four weeks the last stage of its deconfinement?
