Is the indoor mask compulsory even with a health pass? – Numerama

Here is what the law says on the obligation to wear a mask in places that require the health pass.

Wearing a mask has become a habit since the start of the pandemic. This good practice is useful for slowing down the spread of a disease like the Covid-19. However, since the mask no longer worn outside and above all that health pass is in force, many wonder: should the mask be kept indoors?

The answer is variable, because, in fact, it depends on the territory and the establishments. This is what the law says.

In public places

The current law indicates that the mask ” is not obligatory for the only people who have entered the establishments by means of a health pass (establishment, place, service or event being subject to it) with the exception of transport subject to the health pass where the wearing of a mask remains obligatory “. This modality therefore indicates that, by default, wearing a mask indoors is not compulsory if the same place requires the sanitary pass at the entrance.

But another provision brings a very important nuance. The mask ” may be made compulsory for anyone from 11 years of age (including for people with a health pass), either by the departmental prefect when local circumstances justify it, or by the person in charge of the place or the organizer of the event “.

In fact, at present, under this second provision, the mask remains compulsory in a majority of public places where the health pass is itself compulsory – either by prefectural decision or by decision of the establishment. Thus, most cultural places (like all Paris museums, for example) or cinemas retain this obligation. The status of the mask in the place will necessarily be specified at the entrance.

It should be noted that the first provision absolutely does not allow to derogate from the second: if the mask is obligatory in a place, you cannot appeal to the first rule to justify an absence of mask. Before entering a public place, it is therefore necessary to check the applied rule.

For example, in the Hérault, where epidemic circulation is very low, the prefecture has generally lifted since August 16 the obligation to wear a mask indoors where there is a health pass. But some institutions may decide to keep this obligation.

Wearing a mask remains compulsory in transport – failure to comply with this obligation is subject to a ticket.

For employees of cafes and restaurants, they are subject to the health pass and, since this measure, they have authorization to no longer wear the mask.

Finally, it should obviously be noted that even if a place with a sanitary pass decides not to apply the wearing of a mask, you are perfectly free to use it anyway if that is what you prefer.

In schools

Since October, schools have been facing a specific strategy: in the departments least affected by the epidemic, the obligation to wear a mask for primary school students gradually fall.

To find out if your department is affected, the government maintains a map of France. The departments colored in green are at level 1 of the protocol (incidence rate of 50 per 100,000 inhabitants for 5 consecutive days), and are therefore no longer affected by the obligation to wear a mask for children in primary school.

On the other hand, for teachers, the obligation is maintained. This also remains compulsory in middle and high schools for students and teachers.

The continuation in video