French National Academy of Medecine said."The mandatory wearing of masks on public transport, where social distancing is not possible, should by accompanied by one very simple precaution: avoid talking and making phone calls," the academy said in a statement.Academy member Patrick Berche said on BFM TV on Saturday that if there were only three people in a subway car there was no problem, but if you were only two centimetres away from the next person it made sense not to converse or talk on the phone."It is not an obligation, it is a recommendation," he said.The academy is not an official advisory body.
It can respond to government questions but also issues recommendations, which sometimes go against official policy.The academy - which was.