Festival and event organizers in France are enthusiastic about the news that they can once again organize events for up to 5,000 participants and that without social distancing measures. Everyone does have to wear a mouth mask.
Prime Minister Jean Castex announced in an update that France has designated 19 areas as red zones. For example, the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Paris area have already been marked in red. Extra measures are being taken in these areas, but in other regions more is allowed since the end of August. The new measures apply not only to outdoor events, but also to closed spaces such as event locations, theaters and concert halls. The distance measures are thus completely replaced by the mandatory wearing of mouth masks, a measure that is much easier to implement at events.
The news was reaffirmed after the speech by French culture minister, Roselyne Bachelot. The French Prime Minister even encourages people to visit events, theaters, ... again to save the cultural sector. The government promises to invest an additional 2 billion euros in the severely affected sector.
Salles de spectacle et cinémas : suppression de la distanciation et port du masque en continu. Mais dans les zones rouges oú le virus circule de façon active : maintien de la distanciation physique entre les groupes de spectateurs et port du masque. @MinistereCC
— Roselyne Bachelot (@R_Bachelot) August 26, 2020
Le secteur de la culture a été l’un des plus touchés par cette crise. C’est pourquoi @JeanCASTEX a annoncé ce matin que 2 milliards d'€ seraient dédiés à la Culture dans le cadre du #PlanDeRelance. C’est inédit ! Cc @R_Bachelot pic.twitter.com/pcqQ2GoZoM
— Valérie Gomez-Bassac (@VGB83) August 26, 2020
France is following the example of the Czech Republic, where music events can again take place without keeping a distance. Other countries are expected to follow suit.
