Paris to make free COVID-19 testing available in all 20 districts

The Paris local municipality on August 31 said that it would make free COVID-19 testing available in all of the 20 districts. There has been a surge in cases indicating towards the re-emergence of the deadly virus in France. Reports suggest that the Paris mayor’s office further added that there would be three permanent laboratories to conduct the testing and  two other mobile laboratories would function around the capital.

France battles novel coronavirus

According to the data by John Hopkins University, France has reported a total number of 277,943 cases with 30,606 casualties. France's national health agency has reported  an "exponential" rise in new virus infections. However, the rate of positive cases is also growing with more than 30 positive tests per 100,000 people in 20% of the country's regions, suggests AP. The national health agency of France was quoted by AP saying, “The dynamic of the epidemic's progression is exponential”.

Read: 'Exponential' Virus Spread In France As Schools Set To Open

French President Emmanuel Macron responded by saying that he couldn't rule out a new nationwide lockdown. He said, “Nothing, in theory, can be excluded. I would not have learned much from what we have lived through for eight months if I said I totally exclude it”. Macron said the government is in favour of regional measures to stop the outbreak of the deadly virus. He added that the  government will do everything it can to prevent a new nationwide lockdown by “learning to live with the virus.” France's strict two-month lockdown in the spring devastated its economy but it helped in slowing the virus. 

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Reports suggest that there have been worries that France could be the new virus hotspot. However, Macron has consistently defended his government’s handling of the virus in the post lockdown period. In an attempt to battle the virus, Paris has also made masks mandatory. Prime minister Jean Castex on August 27 announced that face masks will be made compulsory in all public places in Paris. While speaking to international media reporters, Castex said that the Paris police chief, after consultation with the mayor, will ‘expand mask wearing’. However, no date was given for the new rule to come into force. 

Read: French PM Makes Face Mask Compulsory In Paris To Curb New Wave Of Coronavirus

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(With Inputs from agency)

(Image Credits: Unsplash)