The Prime Minister of Quebec, the Canadian province most affected by the coronavirus, for the first time "strongly recommended" on Tuesday the wearing of the mask in public places to fight against the pandemic.
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"I recommend it, I ask all Quebecers, in Montreal and then in the rest of Quebec, when you leave your home: put on a mask," said François Legault at a press conference. "We add this instruction there, I highly recommend it," he insisted.
For the past two months, François Legault has been asking Quebecers to respect physical distancing measures and to wash their hands regularly.
This new instruction, which comes after Quebec has started a gradual deconfinement, is "less important than the first two but can still have a significant effect especially if you approach within two meters", explained Mr. Legault .
The Prime Minister arrived at his daily press briefing for the first time wearing an artisanal mask, which he then removed. "The mask is to protect others, it is not to protect yourself," he added. According to the Prime Minister, this "good habit" will allow Quebecers to return "more quickly to a slightly more normal life".
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Quebec does not, however, make it compulsory to wear a mask in public transport, unlike other countries such as France. "Legally, before making a deposit compulsory, you have to be certain that it is effective," he added.
Last week, a report from the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec unveiled scenarios in Montreal indicating up to 150 deaths per day in July, in case of deconfinement too fast.
The Quebec government has twice postponed the reopening of businesses and schools in the greater Montreal region, the most affected in Quebec.
The deconfinement of the Quebec metropolis was set for May 25, while businesses began to reopen in the rest of the province. But Mr. Legault has not ruled out postponing this date again depending on the evolution of the health situation. Quebec had more than half of the confirmed cases and deaths across the country on Tuesday.
