The government has announced the cancellation of the Heritage Day celebrations and the Monaco Fun Fair due to concerns connected to the coronavirus situation. Meanwhile, fabric masks will once again be distributed to residents and restrictions on the sale of alcohol will come into force.

Despite the low number of cases in the Principality, the government has decided to err on the side of caution and cancel the 25^th annual Heritage Day event that had been planned for Sunday 27^th September, as well as the yearly Monaco Fun Fair that was to be held from 16^th October to 19^th November.

The government says in a statement that this is not a knee-jerk reaction, but a considered plan, adding, “These measures are intended to be pragmatic and are concerned with ensuring a balance between the imperative of health security and the essential need to live as normally as possible.”

The decision to cancel the Heritage Day event was also due to the fact that some vendors and participants were not able to guarantee they could comply with the required sanitary measures.

“Many participants in this edition, not being able to ensure satisfactory health security, had chosen not to take part in this year’s edition. In addition, the free admission attached to this event for museums presents the risk of too many crowds when physical distancing measures are required,” said the government.

In the same statement, the Prince’s government also decreed that the maximum number of people allowed at large gatherings be lowered to 1,000, except for exceptional cases, starting Friday 25^th September. On the same day, the sale of “take-away” alcohol will be prohibited from 8pm to 6am. School trips outside of Monaco are being temporarily suspended as well, to lower unnecessary contact.

In the fight against the virus, the government has announced it will help residents to comply with the rules and stay safe. “The evolution of the pandemic in Europe requires us to remain vigilant. It is for this reason that the Princely Government is relaunching a free and general distribution of fabric masks for all Monegasques and residents. These masks will arrive in mailboxes in the next few days.”