“I was not even aware of this new measure! I will wear it if it is obligatory but I find it useless to wear it in the Sancerre countryside when there is no one there ”, estimates Béatrice, who was walking, yesterday Friday, in the streets of Saint-Satur with her daughter and her daughter. granddaughter, just one week old.
“We find it unnecessary when we are alone or both walking around, and there is no one around. On the other hand, from the moment it is compulsory, we will try to follow this rule, ”affirm for their part, Aurore and Yoan, a couple strolling in the streets of Sancerre.
“A very active circulation of the virus on the territory”
The information does not seem to have spread to all residents yet. But since Thursday, the obligation to wear a mask has been generalized in the municipalities of Sancerre and Saint-Satur
neighbors of the Nièvre department, reconfigured since Friday March 26.
After Bourges, Saint-Amand-Montrond and Orval, wearing a mask is now compulsory in Sancerre and Saint-Satur, from April 1
A decision taken by the Prefecture of Cher to fight against the coronavirus epidemic, because, in Sancerrois, the indicators are deteriorating. The positivity rate (the number of positive people compared to the number of people tested) fluctuates between 5 and 10%. And the incidence rate is between 250 to 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. “At this territorial scale, we are not more precise in terms of data,” explains Christophe Lugnot, chief of staff of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Center-Val de Loire.
Wearing a mask – Béatrice and Eloise were not aware of the new measures concerning the wearing of the compulsory mask on public roads.
“These degraded indicators,” he continues, “testify to a very active circulation of the virus on the territory. This is why the ARS and the town hall of Sancerre have decided to “deploy a team” to organize new screening sessions next week.
For the mayor of the city, Laurent Pabiot, the prefectural decree seemed necessary insofar as “there is a strong demand for tests at the moment on the Sancerrois”. And then, he adds, “it’s Easter weekend, the weather is nice and that has the merit of making things much more readable for everyone”.
Indeed, until now, it was necessary to wear the mask in shops, markets, downtown, near schools and nurseries … From now on, residents will no longer have to ask questions.
Checks will be more frequent
These instructions, observes Laurent Pabiot, have always been “instinctively” well respected. “Frankly, we have nothing to complain about,” confirms Chief Warrant Officer Grégory Delmotte, who heads the Sancerre gendarmerie brigade. Several months ago, during the second confinement (in November, Editor’s note), we had to make small reminders. In particular, we intervened, only once, at the Carrefour Market in Saint-Satur where a person wanted to enter without a mask. But that’s the only problem we’ve had. “If the population is, according to him, disciplined, the gendarme announces however that the controls will be more frequent” everywhere “.
The prefectural measure must apply until April 28. In the meantime, insists the ARS, “we must more than ever ensure strict compliance with barrier measures, social distancing rules and the wearing of masks”.
The mayor of Saint-Satur, Christian Delesgues, could not be reached.
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Screening.
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