France tells its citizens: Fabric masks not enough to protect from Covid

The French government is now recommending that people wear surgical masks in public because they offer better protection from Covid-19 transmission than fabric face coverings, Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday.

France already requires masks to be worn in public places, but until now has not made recommendations about the type of masks. French authorities are worried they could be hit by new, more contagious variants of the virus.