We thought we'd gotten rid of it outside… but it's making a comeback, across the entire Pyrenees-Orientales region.
The prefecture of the department announced this Friday morning that wearing a mask was once again compulsory in public spaces, except at the beach and in large natural spaces, in all municipalities from this Saturday.
[Reinforcement of preventive measures against Covid - 19 in the Pyrénées-Orientales department]
📢 From 17072021 at 6 a.m. to 02082021 at 6
a.m.
😷
Wearing a mask compulsory in public spaces
🥃 alcohol consumption prohibited in public spaces
More info 🔽https: //t.co/k88oqHxgAZ pic.twitter.com/Su2dckeJK1
- Prefect of Pyrénées-Orientales (@ Prefet66) July 16, 2021
For the moment, the measure is scheduled until August 2.
The consumption of alcoholic drinks is also prohibited on public roads and public spaces outside restaurants and bars, the prefecture said in a press release.
These new decisions are part of a difficult health context for the Pyrénées-Orientales.
The incidence rate of the department - bordering Spain and very touristy - went from 12.7 per 100,000 inhabitants on July 2 to 129.9 per 100,000 inhabitants on July 12.
It now reaches 211 per 100,000 inhabitants.
"Worrisome" growth of the variant
Prefect Etienne Stoskopf took these two orders in order to curb the spread of Covid-19, in particular of the Delta variant, which has been experiencing “worrying growth” for a few days.
"These measures may be supplemented depending on the evolution of health indicators and the strain on the hospital system", add the services of the State.
Read alsoVariant Delta in the Pyrénées-Orientales: "Since the start of the epidemic, I had not seen such an explosion"
On July 12, Occitanie was the first region in metropolitan France to exceed the alert threshold of 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the Regional Health Agency (ARS Occitanie), which had reported a "rapidity unprecedented "of the spread in the Pyrénées-Orientales with," in one week, a fivefold increase in the incidence rate ", especially among young people.
“There is undoubtedly the tourist aspect on the coast and the density.
There is also in part an impact linked to the proximity of Spain ”, then explained the ARS.
Neighboring Spain is facing a real explosion of cases due to the spread of the Delta variant, mainly among those under 30, still little vaccinated, with 1,508 cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the last 14 days recorded Wednesday among the 20- 29 years.
In France, faced with the epidemic rebound, the prefecture of Haute-Corse had already announced, Tuesday evening, new restrictive measures, applicable from July 14 to August 1, in Balagne and Saint-Florent, to fight against the spread of the Covid -19 in these microregions highly popular with tourists.