It is 2:30 p.m. and on line 9 of the Paris metro, at Strasbourg Saint-Denis station.
The metro is crowded.
The crowd is motionless and unanimously masked.
While most health restrictions were lifted in mid-March, wearing a mask on public transport remains in effect.
A man arrives, his face in the air, followed by another, also uncovered.
The two rebels are not shy, insistent gaze and raised chin.
When suddenly an elderly lady asks the first to put his mask back on, he defends himself by saying that he is not sick.
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Rarer but very real, the refusal to obey health rules in public transport reflects this feeling of weariness of a majority of French people, two years after the entry into force of the wearing of compulsory masks.
Covid-19 now seems far behind us and for good reason, “
the slowdown in the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has been confirmed throughout the country, with a decrease in incidence rates (-39 %) and positivity (-5 points)
”, summarizes the French public health agency in its weekly update published at the end of last week.
A significant drop in the number of cases which “
will give rise to adaptations in the coming weeks
” of the measures in force,
Announcements that delight Marine, a young woman several months pregnant, who is waiting on the platform for line 10. "
It's hot, it's the month of May, we can't wait to finally be able to breathe
", launches t she sighs.
Respectful of the rules, the Parisians are not necessarily the greatest defenders.
“
We wear the mask only because we risk a fine
”, confides a forty-something, suit and tie and mask under his chin.
The RATP has thus identified 48,500 "
PV mask
" since the first deconfinement.
“
Wearing a mask covering the mouth and nose is compulsory, under penalty of a fine of 135 euros
», resounds from then on the voice of the RATP to its users, in a sound broadcast as often as possible on the whole network.
"For the others"
Among the crowd, a man seems upset at the announcement of the message.
“
I find it ridiculous, he complains, it's illegal and completely institutional
”.
Sometimes political, the non-wearing of a mask is most often due to an oversight.
"
I'm returning from abroad and no one is wearing it,
a 19-year-old girl apologizes
, I personally am not afraid of the Covid, but we must continue to respect the rules for others
", continues- her, visibly embarrassed and quickly hiding her face with her T-shirt.
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In the rest of Europe, many states have relaxed their health rules.
This is the case in several Nordic countries, but also in England and Ireland, where wearing a mask is no longer compulsory.
Italy, Portugal and certain German Länder impose the same restrictions as in France.
Restrictions that could be lifted in the coming weeks.