French Prime Minister Jean Castex adjusts his protective mask before taking to the media in Nantes in July
French Prime Minister Jean Castex has called on the country “not to let down its guard” in the fight against coronavirus if it is to avoid a new national lockdown.
"The virus has not gone on holiday and neither have we," he said, as he urged everyone to “remain very vigilant.”
“The fight against the virus depends of course on the state, local communities, institutions, but also on each of us,” he added.
His comments came amid a spike in cases in recent weeks, prompting some areas to reintroduce local restrictions.
The prime minister was speaking in the northern city of Lille, where masks are compulsory in many pedestrian areas.
As we mentioned earlier, several French cities and regions have now made it compulsory to wear masks outdoors.
France has recorded more than 225,000 cases of coronavirus and more than 30,000 deaths, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University.