The compulsory mask-wearing rule for the Alpes-Maritimes region has been extended in light of a slight increase in Covid cases last week.
The Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes has announced that the wearing of face masks in public spaces in all of the region’s municipalities for everyone over 11 years of age will be extended to 16th November.
The original date to lift the regulation was 2nd November, but Prefect Bernard Gonzalez decided to renew the decree upon seeing a small rebound of cases last week, after several weeks of decline.
The most recent health data from Public Health France released on 26th October saw the incidence rate sitting at 62 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and a positivity rate of 1.5% of Covid tests carried out in the department. This number exceeds the alert threshold set out by the authorities of 50 cases per 100,000.
This ruling affects not just the Alpes-Maritimes, but all of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region and includes public spaces such as open-air markets, shopping malls, bigger supermarkets and their car parks, urban roads, city centres, establishments that require a health pass, and at events such as sports or concerts.
If there is at least two metres of social distancing space, a mask will not be required to go to beaches, river banks, parks, and natural areas.
Schools are not exempt, and masks must be worn within 50 metres of all school entrances, five minutes before and five minutes after leaving the establishments, by students, faculty, and parents. This affects all educational institutions from creches to universities.