Health measures to ease in the Principality

Among the changes: an end to masks outdoors.

It was an eagerly anticipated announcement! From this Saturday, February 12, the health restrictions in place in the Principality will be considerably relaxed. The National Council had made the request on Thursday 10 February; the elected representatives met on Friday morning with the Prince’s Government to assess the situation.

A number of decisions were taken:

• Masks will no longer be compulsory outdoors, except in heavily frequented locations such as on the Place du Palais at the changing of the guard, in the markets, or even at the station exit and at bus stops during rush hour.
• The health pass will no longer be required in hairdressing salons and beauty and tattoo parlours.
• An easing of the measures for dealing with contact cases in schools is being considered. It should be operational when schools take up again after the winter holidays, as the screening campaign will be renewed. Experiments with air purifiers will be carried out in school buildings.
• School swimming lessons will resume after the holidays.
• Teleworking is maintained for three days a week, wherever possible, until March 4. Breaks with unmasked colleagues are still prohibited.
• The 2,000-person capacity limit for public events will be abolished, provided that adequate health protocols are in place.
• The number of guests per table in restaurants goes back up to twelve instead of eight; the distance between tables is reduced to one metre instead of one and a half.
• Financial assistance is extended until the end of March.

The situation is improving

A raft of measures made possible by a marked improvement in the health situation. In one week, the incidence rate fell by 36% in Monaco, and by 33% in the Alpes-Maritimes.

France has also announced the easing of its health protocol in schools this Friday morning, with fewer self-tests and an end to masks in the playground. From February 28, in France, masks will no longer be compulsory in locations where the vaccination pass is required, and contact cases will only have to carry out one test, instead of three at present.

Nevertheless, the Prince’s Government still calls for vigilance. It has also made preparations to receive doses of Novavax vaccines as soon as distribution begins in France, in theory from February 21.

The Government has also stated that if indicators continue on their positive trend, further measures may be eased, particularly in schools.