France is to make face masks compulsory in most workplaces as it battles to stem the second wave of coronavirus infections. According to the country's labor ministry, the new movie, which will come into force on Sept. 1, would apply to all shared spaces in offices and factories, but would not extend to individual offices where only one employee is present. The ministry also said that working from home would remain its recommended option for employees. Details will also be worked out for special work environments such as frozen food warehouses, where masks are not practical as they would freeze. Mask-wearing is also compulsory nationwide on all public transport and in most indoor public spaces such as shops and museums, as well as in crowded outdoor areas in some cities, Reuters reported. France has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases since July and masks are already widely used. Its average number of new cases over seven days is now well above 2,000, double what it was at the start of the month. About 220,000 people have now been infected and more than 30,000 have died. France imposed some of Europe's toughest lockdown restrictions earlier this year, greatly reducing the rate of coronavirus infections. But in the past few weeks, the numbers of new coronavirus cases have risen, and public health officials have warned that contagion could spin out of control. — Agencies
