PARIS (FRANCE) – French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday that the wearing of face masks in Paris will be made mandatory to stem the spread of coronavirus infections. He warned that if quick action is not taken, the infections could spiral out of control.
“The virus is spreading all over the country,” Castex said. “The spread of the epidemic could become exponential if we do not react quickly.”
The prime minister said the reproduction “R” number of infections in the country has risen to 1.4, meaning that every 10 people with the virus will pass on the infection to 14 others. An R number above 1 can lead to exponential growth.
On July 21, the wearing of face masks in shops and banks was made mandatory across the country and in early August it was made compulsory outdoors in crowded parts of Paris, including the Sacre Coeur basilica of Montmartre.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.