France will eliminate the mask and the COVID certificate on March 14

France will eliminate the mandatory use of the mask in closed places and the COVID vaccination certificate to access many services and public places from the 14th, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday.

In an interview on TF1 television, the head of the Government indicated that the mask will continue to be mandatory on public transport, where there is greater proximity between people.

Since the beginning of February it is not mandatory outdoors, except in those places where it is not possible to maintain a safe distance, but it was kept indoors.

Last Monday, its compulsory nature was eliminated in those closed places where the vaccination pass is required for admission, which limited its use to public transport, shops and department stores, religious temples, hospitals and residences for the elderly, in addition to in companies.

Castex also specified that the vaccination certificate will continue to be mandatory to access health establishments, residences for the elderly and places that welcome particularly fragile people.

The Prime Minister indicated that this relaxation of the restrictions responds to the improvement in the health situation, with a sharp drop in the incidence of the pandemic, after having registered maximums at the end of the year and in the month of January due to the variant omicron

Health Minister Olivier Véran assured that these measures could be lifted when the country’s hospitals had fewer than 1,500 patients in intensive care. There are currently 2,329.

In addition, Véran pointed out that the incidence rate should be below 500 (it is now 584) and the reproduction rate should be less than 1 (it is now 0.63).

Although not all these criteria are given, the rate of decline, with a 30% drop in incidence in one week, allows the Executive to be optimistic on the date set.