It remains possible to eat and drink
"quickly"
when needed in public transport even if the consumption of food and drink is strictly prohibited, assured Monday the Minister for Transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari.
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"If you have an imperative need to eat or drink on the train because you are fragile or simply because you have this physiological need, you can remove your mask and drink (or) eat quickly and put it back on immediately afterwards"
, said Jean-Baptiste Djebbari on BFMTV.
"What we want to avoid (...) are the phenomena, which are marginal but which exist, of the person who takes off his mask while eating crisps for several minutes or even several hours",
he said. added.
"This is the kind of abuse we want to avoid."
Selling on board prohibited
Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on December 27 that the consumption of drinks and food would be
"prohibited in (...) public transport, including long distance"
from Monday.
A decree published on Saturday in the Official Journal prohibits sale on board until January 23 - what Jean-Baptiste Djebbari described as a
"measure (...) of common sense"
-, but does not prohibit consumption.
The SNCF, in particular, however followed the instructions of Jean Castex, and prohibited eating and drinking on board, recalling that the Ministry of Transport had specified that this measure would be applied
"with discernment"
.
Read also Ban on eating and drinking on trains and planes: what will change for our next trips
The 5th wave of Covid-19 also continues to disrupt regional trains, some railway workers being sick, in contact with them or having to look after their children.
The company canceled 7% of its TER on Monday, but the pandemic had no impact on mainline traffic and the Paris suburbs, according to a spokesperson.
