France announces end of mask mandate on public transport

French Minister of Health Olivier Veran announced that as of May 16, face masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport in France, Report informs referring to The Local.

Veran did add however that the government would continue to recommend people wearing face masks in public transport.

The announcement came after the final Council of Ministers meeting on May 11 before President Emmanuel Macron announces a new Prime Minister and government.

The only place where face masks will remain obligatory in France is in medical settings such as at the doctors or in hospitals. People who test positive will still be required to self-isolate.

Exactly two years ago, at the end of the first lockdown on May 11, 2020, then-Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that face masks would be mandatory on public transport to stop the spread of COVID-19.

For the last three weeks, COVID-19 cases have been declining in France. As of May 10, 56,449 new cases have been reported with 1,167 people admitted to the hospital. Over the past week, there have been an average of 37,637 new cases per day.

Since the start of the pandemic, France’s Health Ministry has reported 146,979 total deaths from Covid-19, with 594 deaths in the last week.